PPOA Executive Director
wquint@ppoa.com
As you read this message, the 2026 peace officer memorials honoring the women and men who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty the preceding year will have solemnly occurred during the month of May. Equally important, we recognize the sacrifice made by the officers’ loved ones left behind. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department tragically had to add the names of three Detectives to the memorial monuments in Los Angeles County, California and Washington, D.C. Detectives Joshua Kelley-Eklund, Victor Lemus and William Osborn lost their lives in the line of duty on July 18, 2025, when an explosion occurred at Biscailuz Regional Training Facility. This incident represents the largest loss of life for the LASD since 1857.
PPOA’s Star & Shield Foundation (SSF) was established in 1999 by law enforcement employees who wanted to “help those in need.” As members of the same public safety union (the L.A. County Professional Peace Officers Association), they all witnessed numerous instances where effective support could change lives. The PPOA members formed this charitable foundation and immediately began reaching out to those in need of support, including the surviving family members of peace officers killed in the line of duty.
Every year, PPOA’s Star & Shield Foundation reaffirms its mission to provide support to families dealing with the unimaginable loss of an officer killed in the line of duty. From direct donations to assisting family members with the coordination of traveling to local, state and national memorial ceremonies, the Foundation is a prime example of PPOA’s commitment to honoring the legacies of our fallen sisters and brothers. PPOA extends its sincere condolences to the loved ones of the 12 California peace officers who made the ultimate sacrifice in 2025. I am extremely pleased that the Star & Shield Foundation continued its honorable tradition of providing financial support for the loved ones of all 12 fallen officers.
The worthy recipients and causes also supported by PPOA and the Foundation in 2025 include the following: assistance to multiple PPOA members who lost homes in the wildfires, Special Olympics, ALADS CARES Foundation, Fueled by the Fallen, Devil Pups Youth Program, Police Unity Tour, CRDF fundraiser for member in need, Widows and Orphans Funds for fellow public safety associations, LADA Honor Guard Fund, Crime Survivors Resource Center, Children’s Advocacy Center, youth programs and the Custody Assistant Anthony Thompson Scholarship Foundation.
Through our Foundation’s charitable support, PPOA is also able to provide help to others at critical times and support worthy causes that PPOA members bring to our attention. The Star & Shield Foundation is a separate 501(c)(3) charitable organization. All donations to the Foundation are tax-deductible to the extent of the law (Tax ID #95-4752410). Your Foundation has its own separate Board members, as well as a Board of Governors. The Board members meet monthly to conduct the amazing mission of the Foundation, which remains “helping those in need.”
On Monday, June 1, PPOA will be hosting our 18th annual Peace Officer Memorial Golf Tournament. This tournament is the highlight each year for PPOA’s Star & Shield Foundation. Since our inaugural tournament in 2006, it has generated much-needed funds for the families of officers killed in the line of duty. However, there remains a real need for additional funding for our Foundation’s ability to continue to provide help to others at critical times and to support worthy causes.
Active members, would you please consider making a monthly tax-deductible payroll donation of $20 to the Star & Shield Foundation? Please scan the QR code on this page and PPOA will process your generous donation. For additional funding opportunities, please visit the Foundation’s website at StarandShieldFoundation.org. Whichever way you would like to contribute, please assist us in continuing to help others in their time of need.