Press Release

On Thursday, August 8, 2002, approximately 27,000 people joined Undersheriff Bill Stonich and the employees of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department at Dodger Stadium for “Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Appreciation Night.”
The Dodgers organization provided discount tickets to the Sheriff’s Department, enabling the Department to sponsor young people involved in various youth programs. The evening also provided a social family outing for Sheriff’s Department employees. Undersheriff Stonich said, “We are grateful to the Los Angeles Dodgers organization for providing such a wonderful opportunity for the youth of our communities. It is of utmost importance that they be provided with positive experiences and role models to keep them on track.”
Participating in the opening pitch of the ball game were Kayla French, the stepdaughter of slain Deputy Sheriff Dave March, Austin Losorelli, who raised close to $9,000 in a fund-raising campaign to benefit the survivors of slain Deputy Sheriff Jake Kuredjian, and Undersheriff Bill Stonich. The evening also highlighted twenty-five of this year’s Medal of Valor and Meritorious Conduct Medal recipients, who were individually introduced and their heroic actions narrated to the crowd. The Sheriff’s Department’s color guard also participated in the pre-game festivities by conducting the opening flag ceremony as well as Department vocalists, Sergeant Angela Shepherd and Sheriff’s Security Officer Lisa Richardson, who sang the National Anthem.
More than one thousand Department employees, family members, and youth program participants enjoyed this evening of tribute to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, which was followed by the baseball game between the Dodgers and the Pittsburgh Pirates.
SHB-61A-02

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August 8, 2002