LAPD Officer Dave Keortge will throw the ceremonial first pitch at Monday night's Los Angeles Dodgers-Colorado Rockies game at Dodger Stadium in connection with Law Enforcement Appreciation Night.
Keortge was among 14 LAPD officers awarded the department's Medal of Valor for their actions on Feb. 7, 2008, during an attempt to rescue a man in a Winnetka home after a suspect called 911 and said he had shot and killed three relatives.
Officer Randy Simmons was killed in the rescue attempt, the first fatal shooting of an officer in the history of the elite LAPD SWAT team, which was created in 1967 and went on full-time status in 1971. Keortge was shot in a hip at the end of a pursuit for a murder suspect on June 29, 2017. He made a full recovery and returned to duty with the SWAT team.
LAPD Sgt. Sue Leskera will receive the Dodgers Community Hero Award for managing the rescue of more than 80 horses during last year's Creek Fire. Leskera will receive the LAPD's Community Policing Medal for her efforts. LAPD Officer Rene Gonzalez, a former U.S. Marine Corps sergeant who was deployed to Iraq, will be honored as the Military Hero of the Game.
Gonzalez's honors include the Combat Action Ribbon, Navy Achievement Medal, Presidential Unit Citation and various joint and unit awards. The national anthem will be sung by LAPD Officer Roz Curry.
California Highway Patrol Southern Division Assistant Chief Chris O'Quinn will declare, "It's time for Dodger baseball."
Pregame ceremonies include an flyover by an LAPD Airbus H125, a motorcade by the CHP's Southern Division Motor Squad and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Mounted Enforcement Detail Honor Guard serving as the color guard. LAPD Chief Michel Moore will read the starting lineup.
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A ticket package including the Dodgers' Law Enforcement Appreciation Night challenge coin is available at Dodgers.com/LawEnforcement. The Dodgers enter the three-game series a half-game behind the Rockies in the race for the National League West lead.
The Dodgers have 12 games left to play, one less than Colorado.
