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Hawthorne Press Tribune
Herald Publications - El Segundo, Hawthorne, Lawndale & Inglewood Community Newspapers Since 1911 - (310) 322-1830 - Vol. 60, No. 43 - October 25, 2018
Inside
This Issue
Calendar of Events.............3
Certified & Licensed
Professionals.......................2
Classifieds............................3
Entertainment......................2
Howl-oween Photos..........5
Looking Up...........................7
Seniors..................................3
Legals.................................6,7
Pets........................................8
Weekend
Forecast
Friday
Mostly
Sunny
72˚/64˚
Saturday
Mostly
Sunny
73˚/64˚
Sunday
Partly
Cloudy
75˚/64˚
The Weekly Newspaper of Hawthorne
From Hawthorne High to NASA
HCTV - Hawthorne Community Television stopped by Hawthorne High School for an upcoming story on engineering student Alex Lopez and his parts that the School of Manufacturing & Engineering (HHSME)
are manufacturing for NASA to go to the International Space Station. Photo: Centinela Valley Union High School District.
Police Chief Robert Fager Retires
After 28 years of service to the City of
Hawthorne, Chief of Police Robert Fager has
announced his retirement, effective tomorrow,
Friday, Oct. 26. Chief Fager was appointed as
Hawthorne Police Department’s Chief in December
of 2010. Prior to that, he served as Interim
Chief beginning in May of that year. Across the
next eight years, he directed and oversaw significant
departmental reorganizations that established
a contemporary value-building philosophy
towards Hawthorne’s public safety mission.
Chief Fager’s organizational reformations
intrinsically began with the creation of the
department’s Community Affairs Unit in 2011.
Always a strong advocate for community engagement,
he asked this unit to markedly develop
and fulfill a new mantra – one built on focused
relationship-building with the Hawthorne community.
Sitting at the forefront of the innovative
programs designed sits “Coffee with a Cop.”
Endorsed by the U.S. Department of Justice, this
nationally recognized program grows annually
and is hosted by agencies in every U.S. state
and in over 18 countries internationally. Another
notable program/partnership established came
alongside the Major League Soccer franchise
LA Galaxy, and corporate partners Chevron
and Herbalife. These involved the repurposing
of sparsely-used tennis courts at two city
parks. The recreation areas were redeveloped
into futsal courts. Today, Hawthorne PD staff
mentors groups of varying-age children weekly
as they play competitive games and interact
on life learning lessons.
In similar fashion, a partnership with the
National Hockey League players Association
resulted in the creation of a boys and girls
youth hockey team. The Hawthorne Force – a
roster of children 14 years of age and under
from the local community – come together to
learn and play ice hockey (a sport often both
unavailable and financially unattainable for
families). Each of these sports-based endeavors
allows platforms for Hawthorne Police staff to
engage and build positive relationships with
community youth and parents alike.
In a separate direction, another notable program
developed and running under Chief Fager’s
mission plan is the Ride to Live motorcycle
safety course. Taught by Department Traffic
Bureau motor officers, RTL allows the agency
to offer a fee-free program that increases rider
awareness and skills, improving traffic safety
and reducing potential accidents.
Under Chief Fager’s direction, the department
is currently implementing advanced technologies
that increase effectiveness and efficiencies.
Automated camera systems installed at main
arterial corridors and city parks continually
prove indispensable in criminal investigation
and apprehension, and identifying public hazards.
The department acquired and deploys a
mobile-based camera system, addressing crime
trends and public needs as they emerge. Most
recently, a tremendous partnership with the
Mark43 Corporation is allowing Hawthorne
PD to integrate their advanced state-of-theart
dispatching, records management, and
report writing systems. These contemporary
softwares and user interfaces, normally only
found in larger private sector realms, allows
the department seamless functionalities and
analytic capabilities necessary for today and
tomorrow’s demands.
Outside of Hawthorne’s doors, Chief Fager
has served in positions for the California Police
Chiefs Association (CPCA) and the Los
Angeles County Police Chiefs Association
(LACPA). He currently sits as Chair for the
Los Angeles Interagency Metropolitan Police
Apprehension Crime Task (LA IMPACT) and
the Interoperability Network of the South Bay
(NSB). Further, he has served in advisory roles
with Fight Crime: Invest in Kids Council, the
National Safe Internet Surfing Foundation, and
the South Bay Workforce Investment Board’s
Youth Development Council.
Originally hired by Hawthorne PD in 1990,
Chief Fager has served in a multitude of positions
during his career. A long-time member
of the department’s SWAT team, he has
worked in various capacities and ranks within
enforcement, field training, investigations, and
administration. He is a 1996 recipient of the
South Bay Medal of Valor award.
Chief Fager relates, “I couldn’t be prouder
of the genuine talent and passion brought to
work by the men and women of the department
daily. In these most challenging and evolving
times, our staff retains the true nobility of the
law enforcement profession while working to
better the quality of life within our community.
That says something beyond special about our
officers and their focuses. Our community is
blessed. I have been blessed.”
In his succession, Captain Michael Ishii, a
28-year veteran of the department, will be
appointed as Interim Police Chief upon Chief
Fager’s retirement. Captain Ishii, the seniortenured
Captain both in the department and the
South Bay region at-large, has worked hand-inhand
alongside Chief Fager since 2010. Having
overseen all Administrative and Operations
division facets, Captain Ishii will seamlessly
continue the department’s proud tradition
of police services and advance the value-focused
community programs and relationships.
– Press Release Provided
by the City of Hawthorne •
Police Chief Robert Fager (Courtesy of Hawthorne PD).