As our great nation approaches its 250th anniversary on July 4, 2026, we pause amid the pageantry and reflection to recall the profound words etched into the founding charter of our nation. “We hold these truths to be self-evident,” the Declaration of Independence says, “that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.” Read More
Peace Officer Classification Profile: Arson Investigators
Although they share a bond as first responders, law enforcement and firefighters are typically seen as members of separate and distinct worlds — often with a friendly rivalry between them that serves as the basis for charity sporting events and other fundraisers, as well as plenty of insider humor. But there are some jobs where the two spheres overlap. Cynthia Sato is a 20-year veteran of the Los Angeles Fire Department who holds the rank of firefighter/paramedic and has been assigned to the LAFD’s Arson Section for the past seven years. She and her fellow arson investigators are sworn peace officers under Penal Code Section 830.37(a) and members of PORAC through the United Firefighters of Los Angeles City (UFLAC), International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) Local 112. Read More
Saving Lives on the Side of the Road
Every year, law enforcement officers across the United States are struck and killed on the side of the road — not in foot pursuits, not in firefights, but while working traffic incidents. The statistics are sobering. Secondary crashes at incident scenes kill hundreds of people annually, and officers working those scenes face a disproportionate risk of being struck by passing vehicles. Traffic Incident Management (TIM) training, developed under the Federal Highway Administration’s SHRP2 program, exists precisely to change that equation.
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