Officer Coached Little League Baseball While Out on Injury Leave

October 6, 2003

"Officer Coached Little League Baseball While Out on Injury Leave"
 

Los Angeles: The Los Angeles Police Department arrested one of its own members Friday after the Los Angeles County District Attorney filed felony workers’ compensation fraud charges against a North Hollywood Division detective.
40 year-old Detective Rocky E. Sherwood of North Hills was charged with one felony count of workers’ compensation fraud. If convicted, Sherwood faces a maximum penalty of five years in state prison and a fine up to $50,000 – or double the amount of the fraudulent claims.
Sherwood, while working as a detective in the North Hollywood Division, was involved in two on-duty passenger related automobile accidents on January 13, 1998 and May 28, 1998. Sherwood reported to his doctors that he suffered constant pain in the spine and right knee aggravated by repetitive motion of appendages and placed off-duty beginning in November of 2000.
In June 2001, the city Claims Validation Unit received information that Sherwood was committing workers’ compensation fraud. LAPD immediately launched an investigation of the allegations. Once significant evidence was collected, the case was turned over to the City Attorney’s office.
The City Attorney’s Workers’ Compensation Unit completed the investigation, which included surveillance, a review of medical records, a chronology of activity and depositions. Surveillance evidence shows Sherwood engaged in strenuous activity as a Little League coach while out on disability leave, including hitting, pitching, fielding and teaching the kids how to slide.
The City Attorney’s investigation was turned over to the District Attorney on October 18, 2002 for felony prosecution. The actual arrest was made by District Attorney Investigators.
The arrest is part of an ongoing cooperative effort by the City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo, District Attorney Steve Cooley and the Los Angeles Police Department to combat workers’ compensation fraud in the City of Los Angeles.
This press release was prepared by Lieutenant Art Miller, Officer in Charge, Media Relations Section, 213-485-3586.