Ten Los Angeles Police Department officers received the LAPD’s highest honor, the Medal of Valor, before a crowd of elected officials and fellow officers at the Kodak Theatre Complex Grand Ballroom at Hollywood and Highland on May 26.

Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck congratulated Officer Benjamin Aguilera during the Medal of Valor ceremony in Hollywood. (photo by Matt Wilhalme)

The honor is awarded to police officers who have performed acts displaying extreme courage while consciously facing imminent peril.

At the 50th Medal of Valor Awards ceremony, LAPD Chief Charlie Beck presented the officers with their awards while actress Regina King, of “Southland”, recounted their dangerously dramatic stories.

“In a town where our studios turn out fictionalized accounts of hero cops, it’s amazing to see in the very same town that real guys exist,” Los Angeles City Council President Eric Garcetti, 13th District, said.

This year’s honorees were involved in three separate incidents.

Officer Custodio Ponce

On Feb. 1, 1996, Officer Custodio Ponce and his partner, assigned to the Hollenbeck CRASH Unit, were working on gang suppression when they encountered a suspected gang member drinking a bottle of beer in the middle of the street.

The suspect dropped the bottle and began walking away before taking off in a sprint when the officers saw a gun in the suspect’s hand. Giving chase, Ponce and his partner followed the suspect down a driveway that led to a vacant lot.

As the officers closed in, the suspect began shooting and shattered their squad car window. Ponce returned fire, but while seeking cover behind a cinderblock wall he was hit by two bullets.

In the dark, officers were unable to locate the suspect aside from muzzle flashes at which Ponce continued to fire his weapon, hitting the suspect. The suspect was eventually arrested and later died after being transported to the hospital.

Hollenbeck Street

Gang Bust

On June 5, 2008, officers from Hollenbeck’s Narcotics Enforcement Detail were in their third day of a surveillance operation where police were preparing to issue a search warrant at a heavily fortified location suspected of manufacturing narcotics.

Officers then observed several alleged drug dealers arriving at the location. In order to preserve their cover, members of the detail parked a moving truck in the alley and posed as movers. Once officers were ready, they entered the location.

Upon entering the home, Det. Daniel Hanabusa became the target of heavy fire from the suspects, and was hit in combat helmet and left knee. Grabbing Hanabusa with one hand, Officer Jose Salazar continued to return fire at the suspects while dragging Hanabusa.

While Hanabusa and Salazar were making their way out of the cramped hallway, Det. Ralph Acosta provided covering fire for the officers and helped pull Hanabusa out of danger. Officer Benjamin Aguilera also stepped in to provide further covering fire from the kitchen.

Outside, Officer Rudolfo Rivera observed the suspect walking through the kitchen firing at the officers inside. Rivera ran toward the suspect and opened fire, causing him to take cover long enough for officers to remove Hanabusa from the gunfight. Officer Roy Reza helped pull Hanabusa from the house where he and fellow officers provided first aid for the injured detective.

The suspect later died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Southeast Hostage Shootout

On Nov. 7. 2008, Officers Owen Berger and Thorsten Timmermans were working in the Southeast Division when they received a call of a man with a gun holding two hostages.

The officers met with Sgt. Dan Gardner at the location. The front of the house was dark, but as they entered the rear yard, they saw three women leaving through an open door.

According to authorities, one of the women turned around and ran back into the house, as another became agitated and yelled that her baby was inside. Berger entered the home with Gardner and Timmermans behind him.

Peering into the bedroom, the officers observed the woman who had run into the house being held forcefully by a suspect. Berger ordered the suspect to put his hands up before a second suspect in the hallway opened fire on the officer, striking him in the right hand.

Gardner confronted the suspect in the bedroom firing several shots. Timmermans and the suspect exchanged fire through the wall until the officer forced the retreat of the suspect, who was later apprehended by a Metropolitan Division SWAT Team.

“Every member of this department every day could be one of these officers,” Garcetti said. “We are all safe because of these guys and let us not ever take that for granted.”