Mountain Views News          Saturday, June 8, 2013

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Mountain Views-News Saturday, June 8, 2013 

THAT’S A RELIEF! RESTROOMS 
NOW OPEN WEEKDAYS AT 
DUARTE’S ROYAL OAKS PARK

 

DUARTE, CA - Good news for all who enjoy the many 
recreational delights of the City’s Royal Oaks Park. Public 
restrooms, previously only open certain hours on the weekends 
from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., will now also be open weekdays beginning 
Monday, June 10. 

 Budget constraints have limited the restroom open hours. 
But after receiving input from residents, city staff and officials, 
the restrooms will be open Monday through Thursday from 6:30 
a.m. to dusk, and Friday, 8 a.m. to dusk for a trial period through 
the end of September. Weekend hours will remain the same. 

 Royal Oaks Park, located on Royal Oaks Dr. and Las 
Lomas Rd. is one of the City’s most used recreational areas with 
its playground, tennis courts, newly refurbished basketball courts, 
picnic spots, and proximity to the multi-use trail.

 The extended restroom facility hours coincide with 
already established maintenance staff work schedules to minimize 
the cost. The trial period will be used to assess the impact on 
maintenance cleaning times, additional paper and cleaning 
supply costs, vandalism and extra use. Information will be tracked 
to project an annual impact cost that would be presented at the 
mid-year budget evaluation.

 Public Safety code enforcement officers will drive by the 
restrooms as part of their normal patrols. To help inform the 
public about the new restroom availability schedule, signs will be 
posted at the restroom and along the trail. Information will also 
be added to the City’s website.

 For additional information, call Duarte Parks and 
Recreation Department at (626) 357-7931, ext. 201.

MEET THE MONROVIA POLICE DEPARTMENT'S 
DISTINGUISHED OFFICERS


MONROVIA COMMUNITY WILDFIRE 
PROTECTION PLAN MEETINGS 
SCHEDULED

The Monrovia Fire Department has scheduled neighborhood 
meetings for each of the fire hazard zones located within the 
Community Wildfire Protection Plan area

Fire Zone West: 

Wednesday, June 19 (tentative), 6:30-8p.m.

Fire Zone West-Central: 

Thursday, June 20, 6:30-8p.m.

Fire Zone East: 

Sunday, June 23, 3-4:30p.m.

Fire Zone East-Central: 

Tuesday, June 25, 6:30-8p.m.

Left to right: Monrovia Police Chief Jim Hunt, Agent John Donchig, Dispatcher Christal Stubbe, Sergeant Daniel Verna, 
Officer Jose Pacheco, and Captain Alan Sanvictores

MEDAL OF VALOR: OFFICER JOSE PACHECO 

 On May 15, 2012, at approximately 3:19 p.m., the Monrovia Police 
Department Dispatch Center received a 9-1-1 call reporting a 
structure fire at 1617 Encino. Officer Jose Pacheco was the first officer 
to arrive at the scene, and he observed smoke emitting from one 
of the apartments. He immediately began to conduct a safety check 
by calling out to determine if anyone was still inside the apartment 
unit.

 After calling out, Officer Pacheco heard a woman yelling from 
the second story section of one of the apartments. The women had 
retreated with her children to a second story bedroom when the 
apartment began to fill with smoke. Officer Pacheco entered the 
apartment and noticed the fire appeared to have originated in the 
kitchen area, and the entire first floor of the residence was consumed 
with smoke, which was quickly billowing towards the second 
story of the residence. 

 Without regard for his own personal safety, Officer Pacheco entered 
the apartment and rushed upstairs to where the family had 
sought shelter from the fire. He managed to get to the family and 
quickly assisted them out of the apartment to safety, away from the 
burning structure. He and other assisting officers then continued to 
check the nearby homes to ensure all residents and neighbors had 
been safely evacuated.

 The mother and children he had evacuated from the apartment 
were later checked by paramedics, and due to the immediate actions 
of Officer Jose Pacheco, the family was found to have suffered 
no ill effects from the fire or smoke. Had the family not been 
evacuated so quickly, they most likely would have sustained serious 
smoke inhalation or possibly even death.

 Officer Pacheco took quick and immediate action without regard 
for his own personal safety in order to rescue this family trapped 
by smoke and fire. His brave actions and dedication to service are 
in the highest traditions of the Monrovia Police Department, and 
he is hereby awarded Monrovia Police Department’s highest honor, 
the Medal of Valor.

 This is Officer Jose Pacheco’s second Medal of Valor, an achievement 
only accomplished by a few officers in the history of the Monrovia 
Police Department.

DISTINGUISHED SERVICE MEDAL: DISPATCHER 
CHRISTAL STUBBE

 On May 15, 2012, at approximately 3:19 p.m., the Monrovia Police 
Department Dispatch Center received a 9-1-1 call reporting a 
structure fire at 1617 Encino. Officer Jose Pacheco was the first officer 
to arrive at the scene, and he observed smoke emitting from one 
of the apartments. He immediately began to conduct a safety check 
by calling out to determine if anyone was still inside the apartment 
unit.

 After calling out, Officer Pacheco heard a woman yelling from 
the second story section of one of the apartments. The women had 
retreated with her children to a second story bedroom when the 
apartment began to fill with smoke. Officer Pacheco entered the 
apartment and noticed the fire appeared to have originated in the 
kitchen area, and the entire first floor of the residence was consumed 
with smoke, which was quickly billowing towards the second 
story of the residence. 

 Without regard for his own personal safety, Officer Pacheco entered 
the apartment and rushed upstairs to where the family had 
sought shelter from the fire. He managed to get to the family and 
quickly assisted them out of the apartment to safety, away from the 
burning structure. He and other assisting officers then continued to 
check the nearby homes to ensure all residents and neighbors had 
been safely evacuated.

 The mother and children he had evacuated from the apartment 
were later checked by paramedics, and due to the immediate actions 
of Officer Jose Pacheco, the family was found to have suffered 
no ill effects from the fire or smoke. Had the family not been 
evacuated so quickly, they most likely would have sustained serious 
smoke inhalation or possibly even death.

 Officer Pacheco took quick and immediate action without regard 
for his own personal safety in order to rescue this family trapped 
by smoke and fire. His brave actions and dedication to service are 
in the highest traditions of the Monrovia Police Department, and 
he is hereby awarded Monrovia Police Department’s highest honor, 
the Medal of Valor.

 This is Officer Jose Pacheco’s second Medal of Valor, an achievement 
only accomplished by a few officers in the history of the Monrovia 
Police Department.

DISTINGUISHED SERVICE MEDAL: SERGEANT 
DANIEL VERNA

 One of the key missions of the Monrovia Police Department is 
the traffic safety of the citizens who use the roadways of our community. 
Early in 2012, Sergeant Daniel Verna was assigned as the 
Traffic Safety Coordinator for the Monrovia Police Department. As 
the coordinator, Sergeant Verna is responsible for developing strategies 
to reduce traffic collisions in the city. Part of his duties include 
collecting traffic accident data, analyzing the data and then developing 
a plan for traffic enforcement efforts aimed at reducing accidents. 
Sergeant Verna monitors our enforcement efforts and keeps 
statistical data on citations written by Monrovia police officers. He 
receives requests from citizens for additional traffic enforcement 
and places those requests into the department's traffic enforcement 
matrix so officers can regularly provide enforcement to these areas 
where citizens have observed traffic safety issues. Sergeant Verna 
represents the department on the City of Monrovia's Traffic Safety 
Committee, and he is the coordinator for all traffic safety related 
grants.

 Since Sergeant Verna’s assignment as the Traffic Safety Coordinator, 
he has been able to secure several traffic safety grants for driving 
under the influence enforcement, distracted driver enforcement, as 
well as traffic safety equipment grants. All of the efforts from these 
grants help reduce traffic accidents in the city. Through an Office 
of Traffic Safety Grant, Sergeant Verna was able to secure several 
new handheld Preliminary Alcohol Screening (PAS) devices for our 
patrol officers. These PAS devices replaced our outdated PAS devices 
and aid in the department's efforts on driving under the influence 
investigations. Sergeant Verna has been extremely successful 
educating not only the public on the importance of traffic safety 
through his efforts on the Traffic Safety Committee, but also educating 
and training our department personnel. Since taking over 
the responsibility of Traffic Safety Coordinator, Sergeant Verna has 
motivated department personnel to pursue traffic safety with a renewed 
purpose and enthusiasm.

 For his professionalism, commitment to service, and dedication to 
the Monrovia Police Department and members of this community, 
Sergeant Daniel Verna is hereby awarded the Distinguished Service 
Medal.

OFFICER OF THE YEAR: 
AGENT JOHN DONCHIG

 Agent John Donchig has been a 
member of the Monrovia Police Department 
for nearly seven years, and 
has been chosen to receive the Monrovia 
Police Department’s Distinguished 
Service Medal for his hard work and 
dedication to the Department and the 
community he serves.

 Over the past seven years, Agent 
Donchig has been involved in department 
programs, such as the Foothills 
Special Enforcement Team, serving as 
an operator for the past four years. The 
Monrovia Police Explorer Program, 
serving as an Advisor for the past three 
years. He served as one of the department’s 
Weaponless Defense Instructors 
and Taser Instructors for the past 
two years. He assisted with the shift’s 
fleet maintenance and Field Training 
Programs for the past year. He has 
been involved and assisted with all of 
these programs and activities, all while 
attending the University of California 
at Irvine Graduate Program, obtaining 
his Master’s Degree in Advance Study 
in Criminology, Law and Society. 

 As a member of the Foothills Special 
Enforcement Team, John was assigned 
the position of Training Curriculum 
Advisor, taking on a leadership role, 
managing all of the training records 
for the team. In this role, he also developed 
the tactical lesson plans, 
which incorporated audio/visual aids 
to enhance the learning experience 
for team members. As a Monrovia 
Police Department Explorer Advisor, 
John volunteered countless hours of 
his personal time to the Explorer Program, 
teaching police tactics, law enforcement 
principals, ethics, drill and 
leadership to the youth of the community 
and future law enforcement 
officers. He has been instrumental 
in preparing the police explorers for 
competitions and focusing their efforts 
toward making a positive impact 
in our community. 

 Even with his high level of involvement, 
Agent Donchig has consistently 
maintained himself as one of 
the Monrovia Police Department’s 
most productive officers in the areas 
of traffic enforcement, investigations, 
and arrests, a difficult task to accomplish 
while attending school and participating 
in so many programs.

For his hard work, initiative and leadership, 
taking on additional duties 
and involving himself in these vital 
programs for the betterment of the 
Monrovia Police Department and 
the community he serves, Agent John 
Donchig is hereby awarded the Monrovia 
Police Department’s Distinguished 
Service Medal and is named 
Monrovia Police Department’s 2012 
Officer of the Year.

MONROVIA SUNDAY 
MORNING 

FARMERS' MARKET

That's right- it's back! From 10am - 2pm on 
Myrtle Avenue, shop for fresh produce at 
the Sunday morning Farmers' Market in Old 
Town Monrovia.