For Immediate Release

Los Angeles, CA

February 24, 2007

Press Contact:

David Sommers

Phone: (213) 974-1095

Fax: (213) 626-6941

DSommers@lacbos.org

Lakewood Sheriff Station Dedication

I couldn’t be more excited to be with you here today and celebrate this project and what it means for the safety of our communities.

Not to mention the fact that we got it done on time and on budget!
 

We could have never reached this day without the hard work and dedication of many people.
 

I want to offer my thanks to Sheriff Baca.
 

Captain Dave Fender and your staff.
 

The Lakewood City Council and the City of Lakewood staff.
 

The representatives and council members of the other cities served by this station – Artesia, Paramount, Bellflower, Hawaiian Gardens.

Pinner Construction Company

Most of all though – I want to thank the sworn deputies and civilian personnel who will work in this building.
I deeply appreciate the work you do and work you will do in the future in this building.
I appreciate the level of dedication each and every one of you has committed to your honorable work.
When I was here almost exactly one year ago for the groundbreaking, I shared a favorite quote of mine with you from President Theodore Roosevelt.

Well – Teddy Roosevelt was a brilliant man and he very much understood the work of our law enforcement members.
 

Today, I wanted to share another of his stories with you.
 

Each of you – civilian or sworn – who will work in this building embody what President Roosevelt said over 100 years ago:

“The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly … who knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who also knows if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly … ”

The credit, indeed, belongs to you.
 

You are in the arena with your partners and coworkers, striving valiantly to protect our neighborhoods.
 

Your hard work demands world-class facilities and that’s why we’re here today.
 

Each of you continues to be out here on the front lines fighting the good fight.
 

It is my singular hope that in this building and the enhancements still to come, we have given you a facility that you can be proud of and a building that will help you continue your critical work.

Congratulations again to everyone involve in making this day a reality.
 

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