2025 Above & Beyond Awards Ceremony NA25081ti

WHAT:
Awards Ceremony.
During the formal program, Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell will present the Department’s highest honors to 16 officers who knowingly and courageously placed themselves in grave danger to protect others. This year marks a historic milestone, the 100th anniversary of the Medal of Valor. Actor and comedian Howie Mandel will serve as emcee, bringing to life the powerful stories of heroism, accompanied by dramatic footage captured on officers’ body-worn and in-car cameras.

WHEN:
Thursday, September 25, 2025
· 11:15 a.m. Doors Open and Program Begins
· 11:55 a.m. Luncheon
· 12:25 p.m. Awards Ceremony

WHERE:
Westin Bonaventure Hotel – California Ballroom 404 S. Figueroa Street Los Angeles, California 90071

WHO:
Chief of Police Jim McDonnell, Los Angeles Police Department
Actor and Comedian Howie Mandel

WHY:
To honor real-life moments of bravery, heroism, and sacrifice. The awards presentation will immerse the audience in powerful stories, featuring body-worn and in-car video footage that captures the split-second, life-altering decisions officers make in service to the community. These dramatic videos provide a rare look into extraordinary situations, including:

· On June 5, 2024, Officers Jose Avila and Jerry Coletto responded to an Assault with a Deadly Weapon call and encountered a violent domestic attack. A woman had been stabbed in the head, while her injured husband struggled to restrain their knife-wielding son. When the suspect refused to comply, Officer Avila attempted crisis negotiation while his partner Coletto deployed less-lethal force to disarm him. Seizing the moment, Avila pulled the injured father to safety. The suspect was taken into custody, and both victims were rescued from further harm.

· On May 30, 2020, Officer Anthony Diaz was assigned to respond to the rapidly unfolding events related to the 2020 Civil Unrest. While responding, an unknown suspect hurled a brick through the rear passenger-side window, striking Officer Diaz in the head. The impact rendered him briefly unconscious and caused a cranial fracture. He was quickly transported to a local hospital, where he underwent emergency neurosurgical intervention to evacuate a hematoma and relieve intracranial pressure.

· On September 20, 1980, Officer Kenneth Osmond pursued a stolen taxicab in the Rampart Area. The chase ended in a narrow alley, where the suspect opened fire on officers. During the gunfire, Osmond’s motorcycle collided with his partner’s, and he was struck three times, one by his ballistic vest, one deflected by his belt, and one grazing his abdomen. Despite being dazed, Osmond remained in the fight until his partner subdued the suspect, who was ultimately taken into custody.

· On October 7, 2024, while off duty at his home, Officer Kenneth Hurley heard a deafening explosion erupt from his neighbor’s property, shaking the walls of his own residence. Realizing the gravity of the situation, he immediately ran outside and discovered his neighbor’s accessory dwelling unit (ADU) engulfed in flames. Without regard for his own safety, Officer Hurley climbed a wall and balanced himself atop it to scan the wreckage for survivors. Officer Hurley spotted a man buried in debris, disoriented and struggling to move. Officer Hurley recognized his neighbor and called out to make sure no one else was there. With flames advancing and danger mounting, Officer pulling his injured neighbor from the wreckage to safety.

· On the evening of July 3, 2024, Officers Stefan Carutasu and Joshua Rodney conducted a traffic stop. As the patrol car came to a stop, the suspect unleashed gunfire with a fully automatic AR-style rifle, striking before the officers could even open their doors. Confronted with sudden and overwhelming violence, the officers exited the vehicle and responded instantly, returning fire despite being injured by shattering glass and sustaining graze wounds to the head. Despite their injuries, Officers Carutasu and Rodney re-entered their vehicle to pursue the suspects until their vehicle became inoperable.

· In the early morning of February 20, 2024, Officers Yulian Castrillo, Cheyne Underwood, and Kevin Hernandez were working patrol when they observed a vehicle driving without headlights after rainfall. When the vehicle later crashed into a tri-light pole and caught fire, the officers rushed to the scene. Officers Castrillo, Underwood, and Hernandez quickly pulled the passengers from the wreckage, dragging them to safety through heavy smoke.

ADDITIONAL:
The Above & Beyond Ceremony is hosted by the Los Angeles Police Foundation (LAPF). This independent, not-for-profit organization provides critical resources and vital support to the Los Angeles Police Department. The LAPF provides funding for essential equipment, state-of-the-art technology and upgrades, specialized training, community outreach, and youth programs that would otherwise not be funded. The LAPF directly improves public safety, impacts officer readiness, and enhances quality of life. Since its founding in 1998, the LAPF has awarded more than $58 million in grants to help the LAPD serve at its highest level to keep our communities and families safe. The 2025 Above and Beyond Awards Ceremony is presented by Galls.

INTERVIEWS:
Medal of Valor, Purple Heart, Liberty, and the Preservation of Life Award recipients will be available for interviews on Thursday, September 25, 2025. On the day of the event, please meet with LAPD Media Relations Division Public Information Officers at the media riser.

CONTACT:
For more information, please contact Police Officer Nguyet Amancio, Office of the Chief of Staff, at 213-486-8740. For additional information regarding the Los Angeles Police Foundation, please call Dana Katz, LAPF Executive Director at (310) 422-9259, or visit: www.supportLAPD.org.