Los Angeles County Professional Peace Officers AssociationLos Angeles County Professional Peace Officers Association

Greg Torres

City of Duarte: Meet Sergeant Lamont E. Dobbins Jr.

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https://www.accessduarte.com/government/departments/public-safety/emergency-services/sheriff-services/meet-your-duarte-sergeant

Sergeant Lamont E. Dobbins Jr. officially began his assignment in Duarte in May 2025 after being selected from a highly competitive pool of candidates. His appointment reflects not only his exceptional qualifications but also his longstanding commitment to public service and mental health advocacy.

Sgt. Dobbins brings a unique blend of law enforcement leadership and mental health expertise. Before joining the Sheriff’s Department, he spent seven years with the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health as a Care Coordinator. There, he led five multidisciplinary teams in outreach efforts that connected vulnerable individuals across the county to critical housing and support services.

Since joining the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department in 2007, Sgt. Dobbins has amassed over 17 years of field experience in various vital roles. He was initially assigned to Men’s Central Jail (custody) and subsequently to Lomita Station, where he worked as a patrol deputy. After several years on the streets, Sgt. Dobbins became a member of the COPS (Community Oriented Policing Services), collaborating with residents to mitigate violent crime. Leveraging his extensive experience in mental health services, Sgt. Dobbins joined the Mental Evaluation Team (MET), providing crisis intervention and support to individuals facing psychiatric emergencies. With a solid foundation in crisis intervention and support, Sgt. Dobbins moved to the Risk Assessment and Management Program (MET/RAMP) team, where he focused on assisting individuals with severe mental illness through comprehensive case management and follow-up. In 2022, Sgt. Dobbins was promoted to the position of Sergeant and was assigned to the Century Regional Detention Facility. During his tenure at CRDF, Sgt. Dobbins oversaw the mental health housing unit, maintaining his commitment to high-needs populations and safety.

In 2024, Sgt Dobbins transferred to Temple Station and began serving the San Gabriel Valley community. His educational background includes a B.S. in Public Administration from CSU Dominguez Hills and an M.S. in Criminal Justice from Tiffin University.

Sgt. Dobbins’ arrival marks an exciting new chapter for the Public Safety Department. His passion for bridging the gap between mental health and law enforcement, his commitment to proactive outreach, and his deep understanding of community engagement make him a tremendous asset.

Message from the Sergeant

Welcome to the Duarte Satellite Station’s official web page. This facility, situated at 1042 Huntington Drive, was established in 1995 to enhance services for the residents of Duarte, Bradbury, and the Monrovia County region. We offer law enforcement services and engage in various outreach initiatives to positively impact our communities. Our objective is to address the diverse needs of our community. Please do not hesitate to contact us for information on any topic. Community Policing represents a collaboration between the citizens of our community and those of us who deliver public safety services.

For us to achieve success, your support and cooperation are essential. A secure community is one where neighbors look out for one another and individuals are willing to assist law enforcement. I urge you to contact us if you have any questions or concerns, and to become actively involved.

Sergeant Lamont Dobbins

Temple/Duarte Satellite Station

(626) 357-7938 Ext. 304 

LASD Deputies Burn Out as Overtime Soars

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Click here to read Los Angeles Magazine Story

Gretchen Deutsch / May 21, 2025

As overtime spending soars past half a billion dollars, LA County Sheriff’s Deputies face exhaustion, severe understaffing, and growing concerns over public safety.

LA County sheriff’s deputies are stretched thin, and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is on track to spend over $500 million in overtime this year.

In the last fiscal year alone, the LA Sheriff’s Department spent $458 million on overtime. With $131 million already spent in just the first three months of 2025, the department is on pace to break its own record.

County data shows that more deputies are leaving the force than being hired, due in large part to the plummet in recruitment during the Covid-19 pandemic – a decline that the agency has yet to recover from. There are currently 1,530 unfilled deputy positions, in addition to a significant number of deputies out on leave. Despite the decrease in filled deputy positions, the job’s demands persist. The remaining deputies are picking up the slack, shouldering the workload of the thousands of vacant positions.

“I have seen firsthand the physical and mental fatigue our deputy sheriffs are experiencing due to excessive overtime,” Rosemead Mayor Margaret Clark said in a concerned letter to the Board of Supervisors.

Some deputies work up to 100 hours of overtime each month–a grueling pace that raises serious safety concerns. The physical exhaustion and mental strain can leave them ill-equipped to make the split-second, life-or-death decisions the job demands. Even those who benefit financially from the overtime admit the toll is too high, and they would rather have a break.

“It is almost like Los Angeles County is running an experiment to see how far they can push their first responders without catastrophic consequences,” Richard Pippin, president of the deputy union, told ABC News.

The issue is not primarily about money–deputies got a raise last year and the funds to train new deputies have been approved–but rather a matter of staffing and time. There simply are not enough people or hours in a day to expect peak performance from the existing force.

LASD Deputy Hospitalized in Lancaster Shooting

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Click here for NBC story.

June 7, 2025

LASD Deputy Hospitalized in Lancaster Shooting

A Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputy was hospitalized Saturday night following a shooting in Lancaster.

The shooting occurred around 7:20 p.m. after deputies were responding to a robbery call in the 1200 block of Meadow View.

Deputies exchanged gunfire with the suspect, according to the LA County Sheriff’s Department. One of the deputies and the suspect were both struck.

The person suspected in the robbery died at the scene. Details about the crime were not immediately available.

The deputy was hospitalized in critical condition after being shot in the abdomen, LASD said.

Message to Members re: Civilian Oversight Commission

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Message to Members from PPOA President Steve Johnson

This morning (6/19/25), I sent the following statement to the media:

“The survey released by the Civilian Oversight Commission (COC) on June 18, 2025, to the public about alleged deputy gangs is inappropriate and offensive. To date, there is no legitimate evidence that indicates such activity occurred amongst PPOA members. This survey by the COC is an attempt to brand a ‘nonexistent’ entity and an effort to further justify the COC’s existence . There has never been a criminal conviction of any member that would indicate the presence of a law enforcement gang. The COC is poorly managed and lacks the ability to fairly execute its mission. We only need point to the recent removal of the COC Board Chair to see that it is a commission that lacks objective perspective and leadership.”

PPOA members:  please know the PPOA board of directors stands firmly with you and this Association will remain vigilant and committed to protecting your rights, your career, and your safety.