The TPOA would like to take this time to thank all the essential workers who continue to serve on the front lines during these difficult times. Health care workers, police officers, firefighters, teachers, grocery store workers, and so many more...we extend our sincerest appreciation for all that you do!  Please continue to practice social distancing, wear your masks, and have a safe and happy holiday season. We are looking forward to a fresh new start in 2021.

By Michele HaniseeThe most dangerous number in Sacramento these days? 1182.That's the designation of the latest assault on public safety. Assembly Bill 1182, introduced earlier this month by Assemblymember Wendy Carrillo, D-Los Angeles, would reduce the amount of time even dangerous offenders must spend on parole after being released from prison.If passed, it will march in lockstep alongside Proposition 47, Proposition 57, SB 1391 andAB 109 in the parade of criminal-coddling legislation that the...

The Torrance Police Officers Association would like to thank YOU for your donation, time and committed support during our “Support The Badge” fundraising campaign. Your generous donations will help us support our critically injured officers and their families. Thank you for your generosity and for standing side-by-side with our law enforcement family. Thank YOU for joining our police family and being part of a community team that connects us all together! Your donation has helped us reach our an...

Our annual fundraiser is back! We would like to thank you for your support of the men and women of our Police Association who protect us each and every day. A police officer’s job can be stressful and demanding, but we take great pride in helping our fellow citizens whenever we get the chance. It’s not just our job, it’s our honor to serve. Please join in our mission, and support the men and women of law enforcement, Donate Here! Our officers frequently go into harm’s way to protect our communit...

By Michele Hanisee Prop 47 ushered in an increase in property crime statewide because many theft offenses were made inconsequential misdemeanors that carried little likelihood of incarceration. Last month the Public Policy Institute of California conceded that Prop 47 was responsible for an increase in larceny rates statewide. That increase, they reported, was 9% higher than that of similar states. In 2017 there were only 34,800 arrests statewide for petty theft. That is the lowest number of arr...

By Michele Hanisee In a startling abuse of the legislative process, a budget clean-up bill has just been used to sneak in radical and never-debated changes in the criminal justice system. It allows a defendant suffering from a mental disorder to be granted pre-trial diversion and the charges later dismissed for any crime if a judge finds the disorder played a significant role in the crime and if a defendant has “substantially complied” with mental health treatment during the diversion period... ...

This year, from May 13th to May 19th, thousands of police officers, law enforcement professionals, friends, family, and survivors, gather in Washington D.C for National Police Week. In 2017 alone, 129 officers were killed in the line of duty. Since 1791, a total of 21,541 officers have lost their lives in the line of duty.One of the most moving ceremonies is the Annual Candlelight Vigil, where the names of fallen officers will be forever etched into the Memorial Wall. Unlike many memorials in Wa...

The Torrance Police Officers’ Association would like to express our gratitude for your overwhelming generosity during our “Red, White, Blue, and YOU” fundraising campaign. We truly live by our campaign slogan “One Nation, One Community, Many Voices, Under the Banner of Unity.” Together we do make our community a better and safe place to live and work.We are honored to have your continued support, and we pledge to uphold our promises to give back to the community that we love. Thank you to all of...

Our association is preparing to drop our annual fundraising letter to the community. This is one of our communication strategies to help educate the public about our efforts and raise important funds that our association will be able to reinvest in local programs. The letter also helps drive traffic to our website and social media. If a community member asks, please inform them that this is our official fundraiser and direct them to our website or social media to learn more. So here is what you ...

On behalf of our officers and our fellow citizens, the Torrance Police Officers’ Association is asking you today for your support. While our nation is facing unprecedented times, we are thankful for our community who has stayed strong and united and we value the support you have shown our officers.   Donate Here Today! The Torrance Police Officers’ Association is dedicated to safety and improving our community, but we need your help! Your support will allow us to continue to fund the m...

So often we commemorate the day or memorialize an overwhelming mass tragedy, but lose sight of the individuals, the moments in time, the instances that change our world. The below letter, written to a 9/11 survivor, to the police officer who saved her that day, could easily go out to any Officer in the field today. In instances each and every day, you give of yourself selflessly, without hesitation, and in the face of fear. Alongside members from each of the various emergency services – the Offi...

So often we commemorate the day or memorialize an overwhelming mass tragedy, but lose sight of the individuals, the moments in time, the instances that change our world. The below letter, written to a 9/11 survivor, to the police officer who saved her that day, could easily go out to any Officer in the field today. In instances each and every day, they give of themselves selflessly, without hesitation, in the face of fear. Alongside members from each of the various emergency services - they reac...

Dear Members - Just a reminder November we will have new board elections and to participate you will need to be registered on the website.  So spread the word to all TPOA members to make sure they are registered on our new website https://torrancepoa.com/ With the launch of our new website, each member received a new password to login (username remained the same).  Please take a minute to login and update your password to something personal you can remember.  Passwords need t...

On May 29th, 2017, at approximately 10:35 p.m., the Torrance Police Department responded to the 3600 block of Sara Drive regarding a call of suspicious activity. Upon arrival, responding officers heard a female screaming as two male suspects ran from the residence. One suspect was immediately detained, and the second suspect was later discovered hiding in the victim’s garage approximately 1 ½ hours later during a canine search. Upon arrest, a private citizen appearing to be filming the incident ...

In 2016, the profession of law enforcement, and our nation, lost 135 police officers in the line of duty. This national figure is the highest it has been since 2001, with nearly half of these brave men and women having been killed in ambush-style attacks; with the remaining being a result of various other incidents, including traffic-related accidents and suffering heart attacks on the job.   This May marks the 55th year, in which thousands of police officers, law enforcement professionals,...

May 2017 marks the 55th year by which our nation will pay tribute to the men and women of our local, state and federal peace officers. National Police Week is an annual event, conceived from “Police Day”, which was created in 1962, when President John F. Kennedy signed a proclamation, designating May 15 as a time in which our nation would pause, gather, and most of all, to remember, those brave men and women who gave their final breath for the sake of justice.   In the years and decades to ...

Once a year we reach out to the businesses in our local community asking you for your support.  Annually we look at how we can increase our impact in our community, and we continually strive to outdo our previous year. Your support allows us to make a bigger impact in the community we both share. Here is your chance to join the Torrance POA's community outreach mission. Join us by donating today, your contribution goes toward making our community stronger.   Donate By Clicking Here You...

The Torrance Police Officers Associations is sending our deepest condolences and sympathy for our fallen brother, Officer Keith Boyer at the Whittier Police Department.

We proudly protect our communities, children, and families, despite the difficult year the brave men and women of Law Enforcement has had to face. It is not an easy job, but we wear our badge with a humble pride and seek to make the community we share a safer place to live and work. That’s why I am asking for your help. At the time you receive this letter there have been 138 line of duty deaths of Law Enforcement officers across the US, and officer's killed by gun fire is up 72% from last year. ...

Law enforcement officers are people like you and me who want to make a difference. Serving the communities that we all share is just a part of what these humble heroes do. Standing up for those who can not stand up for themselves is just in their blood. Despite the dangers, they proudly put on their uniforms and badges every day, for us.  National Peace Officer’s Memorial Day has become a day for us to unite as a community and to honor those who have given their lives to protect us, our fam...

We were sad to hear about this tragic event. Ethan Spencer is the brother of one of our current Torrance Police Officers. Any donation is greatly appreciated. For more information please visit the link below. Family Of Marine Vet Ethan Spencer

In the first annual Armed Forces Day 5k run, the Torrance Police Office Association beats the Torrance Firefighters Association!  Way to go TPOA! 

Law enforcement officers are people like you and me who want to make a difference. Serving the communities that we all share is just a part of what these humble heroes do. Standing up for those who can not stand up for themselves is just in their blood. Despite the dangers, they proudly put on their uniforms and badges every day, for us.  National Peace Officer’s Memorial Day has become a day for us to unite as a community and to honor those who have given their lives to protect us, our fam...

Small businesses are a major contributor to the strength of our local economy.  Literally, small businesses are the backbone of our local community and we appreciate your investment and hard work to make our community a great place to live and work. According to the 2010 Census, 99.7% of U.S. employer firms are small businesses.  Almost half of the nation's private sector workforce is employed by small business,  there is nothing small about these facts. That is why we recognize a...

Most of us get up in the morning. go about our days and never think about our local law enforcement officers, unless we hear another negative story on the news.  There is a perception that there are a lot of bad cops out there.  However the reality is that 99.1% of Law Enforcement officers are NOT accused of any misconduct of any kind.      In 2015, 965 civilians were fatally shot by officers, this kind of situation gets the media’s attention, understandably. However, it...

Los Angeles County Sheriff's Cmdr. Mike Parker wrote an eye opening letter depicting his 31 years on the job. The letter shares Parker’s love of the job and the hardships a career in law enforcement can bring. Parker says, “I have buried my friends and seen their children grieve, feeling lost and alone, yet surrounded by a sea of uniforms. I have seen the extreme cruelty that one human being can inflict on another and the incredible kindness of everyday people toward the less fortunate.” As stat...

When you say the words “first responders” who comes to mind? Police, Fireman, EMT? But what about teachers? It is no longer adequate to place all of the responsibility for our children’s safety in the hands of our teachers during an attack and not take the time to properly train them to accomplish that task. Nor is it acceptable to simply tell them, "Lock your classroom door, turn out the lights, hide in a corner and pray that the attacker doesn’t pick your room." Today, the nation’s law enforce...

December 1st is #GivingTuesday, a day dedicated to giving back. This is the time of year when we think about all that we are thankful for this holiday season. We are thankful for each and every person out there backing the Torrance POA. Throughout the year we work hard to give back to our local community in many ways. To view the organizations we sponsor and how we give back visit our "Charities We Support" page. If you would like to show your support, please visit the donate section of our webs...

When you say the words “first responders” who comes to mind?  Police, Fireman, EMT? But what about teachers?  It is no longer adequate to place all of the responsibility for our children’s safety in the hands of our teachers during an attack and not take the time to properly train them to accomplish that task. Nor is it acceptable to simply tell them, "Lock your classroom door, turn out the lights, hide in a corner and pray that the attacker doesn’t pick your room."   Today, the n...

Ian Maier felt the heat against his uniform. Fire and black smoke surrounded him as he reached into the burning car for the trapped woman. He could smell the scent of his singed arm hair. The Torrance police officer had been on the job just two months. “I could feel her in my hands that I had her,” Maier recalled. “At that point there is no turning away.” Maier, assisted by five fellow Torrance officers, managed to extract the driver from her car just before flames engulfed it. Although badly bu...

Mark Matsuda was sworn in as the city’s ninth police chief, receiving his badge from his wife, Kristin, as the couple’s three young daughters looked on.Aptly enough, the Narbonne High School graduate becomes the community’s first Asian-American police chief at a time when that demographic group is growing rapidly in Torrance. Matsuda, 50, is a longtime South Bay resident who grew up in the unincorporated county strip near Torrance. He replaces Chief John Neu, who retired earlier this year after ...

Seven men have been arrested on suspicion of committing two separate distraction burglaries at homes in the Torrance area. The men, who were arrested on Feb. 20, were observed by police at two different homes, Torrance police officials said. Police say Joey John, 34, of Houston, Texas; Bobby Long, 41, of Stafford, Texas ; Harold Tom Nelson, 37, of Houston; and John Nelson of Kenner, La. were posing as Southern California Edison utility workers in order to burglarize a home in the 4000 block of 1...

Twenty-two Torrance Police Department employees will be honored Thursday at the agency’s inaugural Awards and Appreciation Luncheon recognizing bravery, success in catching criminals and community work. In addition, volunteers and two corporations will be recognized for their cooperation with the department. The event, sponsored by the Torrance Chamber of Commerce, is set for 11:30 a.m. at the Torrance Marriott hotel. It is open to the public. Tickets are $40 a person. “The purpose of the awards...

For about a year, the forensics unit has been all female — perhaps a sign of 'the CSI effect.' And their results are impressive Gabrielle Wimer was nine months pregnant and working a crime scene when she found the closest thing to a smoking gun for a forensic specialist: a clean, detailed fingerprint. "I was like, 'Oh, I got a beautiful print right here,'" she recalled. "And I turned and my belly just wiped it off." That was it, she said: "I'm done until I have this baby." Now almost 3 years old...

What Is MDMA? (aka Ecstasy or Molly) "Ecstasy" and "Molly" are slang terms for MDMA, short for 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, a name that's nearly as long as the all-night parties where MDMA is often used. That's why MDMA has been called a "club drug." It has effects similar to those of other stimulants, and it often makes the person feel like everyone is his or her friend, even when that's not the case. MDMA is man-made—it doesn't come from a plant like marijuana or tobacco do. Other chemic...

Dear Supporters of the TPOA, We encourage you to take a moment to view one of our favorite voice narrations below, by Paul Harvey, "The Policeman" depicting the internal as well as external struggles of living life "on duty". Please go to our Facebook page to show your support by liking our page. Here you will be able to stay informed on all the going on within our community. TPOA Facebook. Thank You again for your support! The Torrance Police Officers' Association

The Torrance Police Officers' Association expresses it's deepest condolences to the family of Officer Kenyon Youngstrom. Officer Youngstrom was a 7 year veteran of the California Highway Patrol assigned to the Contra Costa area. He was a married father of four children. On September 4th, Officer Youngstrom was shot in the head during a traffic stop by a motorist, Christopher Boon Lacy. Officer Youngstrom's patrol partner was able to shoot and kill Lacy. Officer Youngstrom was an organ donor. As ...

The first modern police department was established in Boston in 1838 followed by the New York’s department in 1845. Police were not respected by their communities since corruption was continually rampant. In the 1920’s, the invention of the telephone transformed policing to answer calls for service along with the help of the police car and two-way radio. Police began to adopt new technologies with an emphasis on training, professionalizing the job.