Los Angeles Police Officer Danielle Lopez and her partner were driving to a South L.A. jail when they spotted a man in the middle of the street pointing a semi-automatic rifle at other cars.
The officers jumped out and drew their guns.
LAPD Honors Officers for Bravery and Restraint
On Thursday, Lopez and Officer Bryan Waggener were recognized for their judgment and restraint, joining a group of 25 officers who became the LAPD’s first recipients of a new award: the Preservation of Life medal.
September 9, 2016
1 min to read
“Drop the gun!” Lopez remembers shouting at the man. “Drop the gun!”
It was a tense moment, a potentially life-or-death scenario that police train for but hope to avoid: one that could have ended in gunfire.
Instead, Lopez and her partner were able to persuade the man to drop the rifle and step away, arresting him without firing a single bullet. After taking him into custody, the officers realized that the gun he was carrying was, in fact, a fake.
On Thursday, Lopez and Officer Bryan Waggener were recognized for their judgment and restraint, joining a group of 25 officers who became the LAPD’s first recipients of a new award: the Preservation of Life medal, the Los Angeles Times reports.
More Patrol
ZeroEyes Expands from AI Gun Detection to Knife Detection & Suspect Tracking
ZeroEyes has launched three new product categories to extend beyond firearms to address additional acute safety threats and basic security needs. Knife detection and suspect tracking are now also available.
Read More →
GALLS Acquires CMS Uniforms
GALLS has acquired CMS Uniforms and Equipment, Inc., a prominent regional provider based in Nashville, Tennessee. CMS Uniforms, founded in 2000, has built a reputation for delivering stellar customer service and managing complex uniform programs for more than 670 accounts.
Read More →
Brinc Unveils Guardian, Launching the Next Era of Drone as First Responder
Brinc’s new Guardian delivers 24/7 operations, Starlink connectivity, and a robotic charging nest that can swap batteries and change payload configurations without human intervention.
Read More →
Colorado State Patrol Releases 2025 Struck-By Analysis
The Colorado State Patrol, after analyzing its 2025 struck-by incidents, identified one area for improvement: using traffic cones to provide advanced warning before the cruiser's location. Here is the agency’s final data.
Read More →
Streamlight Names 144th Marketing Group Law Enforcement Sales Rep Agency of the Year
Streamlight has recognized the 144th Marketing Group as its 2025 Sales Rep Agency of the Year Award for the Law Enforcement market.
Read More →Streamlight Names 144th Marketing Group Law Enforcement Sales Rep Agency of the Year
Streamlight has recognized the 144th Marketing Group as its 2025 Sales Rep Agency of the Year Award for the Law Enforcement market.
Read More →
The Mission After the Moment
The mission of the Jorge Pastore Foundation is to support first responders through essential training, stronger community engagement, and mental wellness resources, all accessible and funded through donations, sponsorships, and foundation-led fundraising. It works closely with Team Wendy in the discussions about developing better protective gear for officers.
Read More →
Sponsored•March 17, 2026
Built for Patrol: How One Police Chief Fixed Communication, Boosted Visibility, and Changed the Culture
Patrol work hasn’t changed—but the expectations on officers have. See how one police chief helped officers get the right information at the right time, improve patrol visibility, and strengthen trust without adding complexity or surveillance. This real-world story shows how patrol-driven technology can make the job safer, smarter, and more effective—starting on day one.
Read More →
K-9s Play a Critical Role in Finding Missing Persons
Real-world scenarios show that a tracking canine can detect and follow a human track several hours after it was made.
Read More →
Garmont Tactical’s LE Boot Lineup
In this video, we get a look at the latest law enforcement boots from Garmont Tactical, both for men and women. Kyle Ferdyn, sales manager, showcases four of the latest boots.
Read More →