West Hills : Officer Honored for Arrest of Rape Suspect
A watch commander with the Los Angeles Police Department was honored recently by the City Council for fast action that led to the arrest of an alleged rapist.
The council gave Lt. Ray Lombardo, a watch commander with the LAPD’s West Valley Division, a certificate of recognition last week for work “above and beyond the call of duty,” according to Los Angeles Councilwoman Laura Chick, who represents the area and who presented Lombardo the award.
On Jan. 22, Lombardo was supervising officers on a different case near Pierce College when a call came over his radio at 4:30 a.m. Although the supervisor would not be sent out on such calls, Lombardo decided to go himself because his officers were involved in the other case.
Lombardo drove to the 6600 block of Berquist Avenue in West Hills and entered an apartment where, according to police, a rape was occurring involving a 36-year-old man and an 86-year-old victim. Lombardo interrupted the crime and arrested the man on suspicion of rape, police said. The suspect, Christopher D. Wilson, is in jail on $185,000 bail.
“It’s nice to get recognition,” Lombardo said, “but I didn’t do anything that any other police officer wouldn’t have done.”
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