San Gabriel Valley : COP OFF THE BEAT
Veteran Covina Police Chief John F. Lentz, who successfully pushed for a new state law to keep sexual predators off the streets, is retiring after 31 years with the department and a dozen years as its boss.
As judges, prosecutors and local officials applauded, the City Council honored Lentz on Tuesday for his efforts in drafting the new law. It was Lentz’s last council session before his retirement at the end of the month.
The push for the new law came after Lentz announced last year that convicted rapist Reginald Muldrew was to be released in Covina. After a huge protest, Muldrew was detained another year for failing a psychological test before release.
“Chief Lentz started a protest that kept Reginald Muldrew in prison for one more year and convinced the Legislature to pass the Sexual Violent Predator Bill,” Mayor Thomas O’Leary said.
Under the bill, convicts deemed to be sexual predators may be be held beyond their sentences for mental treatment. It was signed by Gov. Pete Wilson outside the Covina Police Department last fall.
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