(Editor’s note: It was with much joy that this editor learned that Captain Jonathan Tom had been promoted, because he deserved it. But his promotion also brought sadness. Tom went out of his way to try and work with this editor and the community. Tom was always available, even when he was on vacation, and he figured out a way to keep the beach detail here, even though funding and resources were scarce. CTN looks forward to working with his replacement, Captain Craig Heredia.)
October 23, 2022
Captain Jonathan Tom
TO: The West Los Angeles Community
SUBJECT: FAREWELL AND CONGRATULATIONS
Many of you may have already heard, but I wanted to let you know that I will be getting promoted to Commander and assigned to Operations-West Bureau next week.
I’m happy to report that the West LA Patrol Commanding Officer, Captain Craig Heredia, has been promoted to Captain III and will be taking over from me as the Commanding Officer of West Los Angeles Area.
Replacing him as the West LA Patrol Commanding Officer is Captain Yasir Gillani, who is coming over from Hollywood Division. You are in good hands with both of these gentlemen and I have faith that they will do right by both you and our officers.
As the Commanding Officer of West Los Angeles Area, it has been my distinct pleasure to serve you over the last two and a half years. When I heard that I was going to be assigned to West LA, I was instantly happy. I knew the division from attending University High School and doing my probation at West LA. From my first day here I immediately felt like I was coming home. Not much had changed over the years including some of the same officers that I worked with while I was on probation. The thing that I remembered about working West LA held true this time around for me: West LA was and is a family.
The officers that serve this community are hard working and care about you. In turn, our officers enjoy a community that supports them like no other. In large part because of your support, our officers, detectives, supervisors, civilians, reserves and volunteers keep finding ways proactively address quality of life issues and make the community safer.
While we are currently 26 sworn officers under our authorized deployment, the men and women assigned to West LA Community Police Station have collectively made 22% more Part I Crime Arrests YTD and driven down Violent Crime by -4.2% YTD and Shots Fired Incidents by an incredible -47.6%. While these numbers are important, the numbers that can’t be counted are the hundreds of positive and professional contacts our officers make every week with community members.
Sometimes watching the news it seems that the world is a mess. While it is easy to fall prey to negative thinking, I encourage you to take a look around you and see the beauty and goodness in the world. Continue having faith in our officers. While no one is perfect, they each have a heart of service and are dedicated to serving this community. This assignment as your West LA Area C/O has been the most fulfilling of my career and I’m extremely grateful to have had the opportunity to serve the West LA community.
Very Respectfully,
Captain Jonathan Tom
After the Highlands Fire Captain Jonathan Tom (center) organized a task force so that all public safety officials were connected and introduced to each other.
Thank you for this article. I’m not sure what the “West L.A. Patrol” is? Not WLAPD, is it?