Air Force veteran Jim Pendleton was convinced he was going to spend the rest of his life living in a San Gabriel Valley riverbed.
But a police department program designed to help homeless people allowed Pendleton to move into an apartment this week after 13 years in the Azusa riverbed, where he faced storms, dangerous heat, wildfires, strong winds an even vicious animals.
On Thursday, the officers and others involved in the move had one more suprise -- they delivered items such as linens, towels, gift cards, kitchen utensils and a new bed. Pendleton had been sleeping on the carpet in a sleeping bag.
The delivery was captured on video.
The move was the result of a collborative effort started by the Azusa Police Department's HALO (Homeless Assistance Liaison Officer), which assigns officers to work with community groups to serve the city's homeless community. One of the goals of the HALO program is to help veterans avoid scammers, who demand a deposit with the empty promise of new accommodations.
The department conducts sweeps in the riverbed between Duarte and Azusa throughout the year, meeting with people who live there.
Pendleton's success story began earlier this year after Cpl. Andy Rodriguez and Officer Kyle Bailey helped relocate another veteran from the riverbed. The veteran, a member of the Navy during the Vietnam War, then contacted the Department of Veterans Affairs about Pendleton, who signed a lease Aug. 21 for his new apartment.
