Arresting Officer in Cop Killing Honored
Scott Marple, the officer who arrested two suspects wanted for the murder of an off-duty Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy, has been named this city’s Officer of the Year.
“In my 34 years of experience, this is one of the finest observation arrests I have ever seen” Police Chief Patrick E. McKinley said. “Scott has an exceptional talent, if you will, for spotting the bad guys and bringing them in.”
Marple, 39, became an officer in 1986, after working as a paramedic for a private ambulance company in Pomona.
Shayne York, the slain sheriff’s deputy, was shot in the head while off-duty during a holdup of a Buena Park beauty salon in August.
The suspects, Andre Montel Willis and Kevin Boyce, were spotted by Marple as they traveled west on the Riverside Freeway just hours after the shooting. Both men, who were charged with murder and robbery, now face the death penalty, if convicted.
“When you take into custody someone who has been preying on the community, that’s very rewarding,” Marple said.
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