Medal for Heroism
Officer II Kristina Ripatti
Los Angeles Police Department
Officer II Joseph Meyer
Los Angeles Police Department
Exemplary Performance Award
Sergeant II Robin Brown
Los Angeles Police Department
Sergeant I Ralph Ward
Los Angeles Police Department
Officer III Gary Koba
Los Angeles Police Department
Officer III Gilbert Pine
Los Angeles Police Department
Officer III Keith Bertonneau
Los Angeles Police Department
LAPD Southwest Division is one of the most dangerous divisions to work, noted for its violence and criminal street-gang activities. Officers Kristina Ripatti and Joe Meyer were assigned to patrol this area on June 3, 2006. As they left the station to begin their shift, they heard a Robbery call at a nearby liquor store come out over the air. Meyer was driving and started toward the location, which is plagued by robberies and gang violence.
While en route, they observed a possible suspect (James McNeal) running across the street from the area of the liquor store. He gave the officers the classic “who me?” look when Officer Ripatti told him to stop. McNeal was the classic three-time loser who had no intention of stopping, since he was armed and had just committed another in a series of robberies at the local liquor stores. He continued running and Officer Ripatti exited the police unit and gave chase on foot. Officer Meyer parked the police unit, put out an Officer in Foot Pursuit broadcast and ran to catch up with his partner.
Officer Ripatti chased McNeal down the street, across a yard, up some stairs and onto a porch, where she tackled the suspect. McNeal was not going to surrender, and Officer Ripatti found herself engaged in a fight for her life. As they fought, McNeal pulled out a handgun and shot Officer Ripatti in the side. The round severed her spinal cord and she dropped to the ground. Officer Joe Meyer heard the shot as he rounded the corner to aid his partner. McNeal had no intention of allowing Officer Ripatti to live and testify against him. He looked down at her and shot Officer Ripatti two more times. As McNeal prepared to shoot her again, Officer Meyer drew his .45-caliber handgun and shot McNeal multiple times, fatally wounding him.
Officer Meyer immediately broadcasted, “Officer needs help! Officer down!” and requesting a rescue ambulance to respond to their location. The call was transmitted throughout the city, and as it happens in these types of situations, the entire world begins to roll in that direction. With the smell of gunpowder still heavy in the air, Joe Meyer began first-aid efforts on his partner. In Southwest Division, Officer Ripatti’s husband, Officer Tim Pearce, heard the help call and knew that it was in her assigned area. Moreover, everyone goes when they hear those dreaded words: “Officer down.” Pearce and his partner answered the call.
Sergeant Robin Brown arrived and joined Meyer, who was attempting to stop the flow of blood from Ripatti’s numerous wounds. Despite the tragic circumstances, God was looking out for her and she was still clinging to life. Sergeant Ralph Ward, and Officers Gary Koba, Gil Pinel and Keith Bertonneau, four highly trained SWAT/EMT officers who were a few blocks away, arrived within a minute of the help call. They immediately went to work to save Ripatti’s life. The situation looked bleak as the heavy bleeding spread Ripatti’s blood across the porch. What the Grim Reaper didn’t know was that Officer Ripatti had no intentions of dying and her fellow officers were not going to allow her to give up.
The local gang members began to gather and taunt officers, creating a very volatile situation and hampering the lifesaving efforts, as officers now had to watch their backs. Additional officers were called to the location and cleared the scene. The ambulance arrived and took Officer Ripatti to California Hospital. By the time the doctors started working on her, she had only two pints of blood left and was near death. Doctors told Ripatti to fight, to which she responded, “What do you mean, ‘fight’? I’m not going anywhere.” Officer Ripatti survived, but was paralyzed from the chest down.
The courage, dedication and tenacity of Police Officers Kristina Ripatti and Joe Meyer while stopping a dangerous felon were in the highest tradition of the Los Angeles Police Department. The Golden Badge Foundation is honored to recognize this bravery by presenting Officer Kristina Ripatti and Officer Joe Meyer with the Medal for Heroism.
The lifesaving efforts by Sergeants Ralph Ward and Robin Brown, as well as Officers Gary Koba, Gil Pinel and Keith Bertonneau, despite a hostile and very fluid situation, were in the highest tradition of the Los Angeles Police Department and contributed to saving the life of their partner. The Golden Badge Foundation is proud to honor Sergeant Ralph Ward, Sergeant Robin Brown, Officer Gary Koba, Officer Gil Pinel and Officer Keith Bertonneau with the Exemplary Performance Award.
