Walk A Mile In My Shoes By Brent Talmo

Brent Talmo police department corruption and coverups.

Walk A Mile In My Shoes

By Brent Talmo

Twenty-four. That’s the number of years I wore a law enforcement uniform. I was sworn to protect and serve the community to the best of my ability, and I did it well. But that’s not the story you’ll find when you Google my name. I was vilified by the biased media and sacrificed by my own Department — and now I’m sharing my side of the story.

Eighteen. That’s the number of awards and commendations I received during my career. Pictured above, left to right, is the Medal of Valor, earned in 1996; the Police Medal, earned in 1992; and the Police Star, earned in 1999. In addition to at least eight more routine commendations, I received the following:

1993 City of Los Angeles Career Service Award

1994 Two Los Angeles Police Department Commendations

1995 Hawaiian Gardens Police Department Commendation

1996 City of Los Angeles Medal of Valor Commendation

2001 Lifesaving Award

Meritorious Unit Citation

2003 Lifesaving Award

2005 Maywood Police Department Class D Commendation

2006 Maywood Police Department Class D Commendation

And yet…

Zero.

That’s how many of these achievements you’ll find when you search for my name online. You won’t read the letters of appreciation written by officers I trained, thanking me for giving them the tools to do their jobs safely and effectively. And you won’t peruse the dozens of positive evaluations I received for my performance over the years.

Instead, you’ll find article after article from the late 1980's about a scandal at the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. While dozens of deputies were implicated, I was singled out, demonized and terminated. The Department treated me as a sacrifice, throwing me into a metaphorical pit of media vipers to appease the public outcry. This allowed them to claim they fixed the problem, so the topic would fade from the headlines.

It worked. By the time the Civil Service Commission voted to reinstate me, the article was reduced to a few sentences in the “News in Brief” section. Most people who had been following the story probably never even read it.

I admit that there were incidents of occasional jokes and less-than-stoic-professionalism. But I was not counseled or disciplined in any way — until it became convenient to fire me. I have always categorically and emphatically denied the allegations of inappropriate force, vandalism and displays of racism made in my termination hearings, and I always will. During the appeals process, the evidence and statements used in these hearings were found to be circumstantial or inconclusive, at best, and inconsistent or suspicious, at worst.

One.

That’s the number of years, out of my 24-year career, that are reflected in the search results. It was my first year. How good at your job were you during your first year, compared to now?

What you won’t see is that I spent the following years repairing my reputation in law enforcement, working 23 more years with a record free of formal discipline.

1,000.

That’s the approximate number of hours I accumulated in advanced training, primarily in SWAT tactics and narcotics. I became a certified emergency medical technician and a CPR/first aid instructor. I performed successfully in many different assignments, including Patrol, Directed Assignment, SWAT, Detectives and Investigations, Training Officer and others. And I was promoted frequently — all the way up to the rank of Sergeant.

I think most people would consider those things a job well done, and consider my career one to be proud of. That is, until they Google my name.

Thirty-three years ago, I was vilified in the press when my Department sacrificed my career to mitigate the current scandal. The media spread the sensationalist story, making me into a monster for the sake of headlines. I did not deserve that. But I didn’t let it stop me. I moved forward to forge a very successful law enforcement career. It’s a career I’m proud of, and it’s time people know the truth.

23.

That’s how many years I provided my community with dedicated service. Don’t YOU think that this should be more important than a questionable termination thirty-three years ago?