by Carolyn Seitz
On Thurs., June 7, from 5-7 PM there will be an informal celebration to welcome Altadena's new station captain, John Benedict, as well as Operations Lt. Duane Allen, and Detective Lt. Michael White to the Altadena Sheriff Station. We will also bid a fond farewell to Lt. Roosevelt Johnson. The celebration will be at the Altadena Senior Center, 560 E. Mariposa St.
Altadena Sheriff's Station has been undergoing a sequence of changes that began with the retirement of Capt. Steve McLean. We have a new Captain, John Benedict, and our Operations Lieutenant, Roosevelt Johnson left to become an aide to Chief Neal Tyler. Our Detective Lt. Duane Allen became the Operations Lieutenant and Lt. Michael White came to Altadena Station two weeks ago to be our new detective lieutenant.
Captain Benedict and Lts. Allen and White would like to meet you. Do you have ideas about how we can have a bigger impact on residential burglary or thefts/burglaries from vehicles? Share your ideas with them. Have you been noticing some unwanted activity in your neighborhood, but been reluctant to call? Here's a chance to spend a few minutes with one or all of them to express your concerns.
They're here to serve and to lead, and they consider themselves as much a part of this community as you are. Help them know what's important to you.
This informal gathering is also intended as our opportunity to thank Lt. Roosevelt Johnson for the two years of great work he did here and the ways he served our community.
We have come to know Lt. Johnson for his professionalism and his care and concern for Altadena. As a strong presence at the station, providing leadership to the deputies and professional staff, he helped shape policies, strategies and protocols that brought strength and success in the effort to reduce crime rates, resulting in Altadena having the largest reduction in crime rates of any area serviced by the Sheriff's Department over a period of many months.
It was the thoughtful, persistent, creative leadership of Lt. Johnson, often working behind the scenes, that helped shape the station's response to crime. He also worked diligently to manage the day-to-day operations at the station freeing up Capt. McLean so the Captain could be out meeting with individuals and groups all over the community on a daily basis.
Please come thank him and find out how he’s still taking care of our community since the chief he serves, Neal Tyler, is also the Chief who’s always looking after us.
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Carolyn Seitz, Altadena's 2010 Citizen of the Year, is a public safety volunteer.
