Sherwood Prize: Law Enforcement Honored by ADL for Combating Hate and Bigotry

  • March 13, 2018

The Anti-Defamation League Helene & Joseph Sherwood Prize for Combating Hate luncheon and awards ceremony was held on March 13 at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles.  The nationally recognized prize goes to Southern California law enforcement personnel who go above and beyond the call of duty to fight hate.

Honoree Laguna Beach Police Department Corporal Cornelius Ashton with student speaker Vasco Possley

This year, the honorees included two individuals and two groups.  Individual honorees were Deputy (now Sergeant) Marino Gonzalez, LA County Sheriff’s Department, for his work restoring public trust in law enforcement in the mostly immigrant community of Cudahy, and Corporal Cornelius Ashton, Laguna Beach Police Department, for his work with schools investigating racially-motivated hate crimes, protecting LGBTQ students from being bullied and preventing an active shooter situation.

Group honorees were LAPD’s Criminal Investigation Section for their complex investigations to identify terrorist threats and activities including an investigation targeting the Muslim community, and Palm Springs Police Department Investigations Bureau for bringing to justice the perpetrators of a hate-motivated attack on renowned LGBTQ rights and equality activist George Zander and his husband.

“This year’s honorees have made creative and effective contributions to the fight against hate,” said Amanda Susskind, Director of ADL’s Pacific Southwest Region.  “the common thread shared by all the honorees is their work with the many diverse groups that make up the population of Southern California.”

Palm Springs Police Department Investigations Bureau honorees

All the honorees and presenters expressed appreciation to ADL and the Sherwood family for recognizing law enforcement. One after the other they spoke of how meaningful it was to  be recognized with the award.

During an event that had many poignant moments, a few highlights from the awards ceremony:

  • LA County Sheriff Jim McDonnell gave personal remarks about prize founder Joe Sherwood and called the Sherwood Prize “iconic in Southern California law enforcement circles.” He spoke of Joe Sherwood as a “true humanitarian, yet so humble,” who “embodies the spirit around this award.”
  • Corporal Cornelius Ashton dedicated the award to “our youth and those affected by hate, bigotry, and bullying.  Please speak up so we can help you.”  Vasco Possley, a student who had benefited from Corporal Ashton’s guidance and intervention after a hate crime, spoke of Corporal Ashton making him “feel safe” and that, “he said he would be there for me.”  And he was.
  • Discussing the importance of residents feeling comfortable contacting police, regardless of immigration status, LA Sheriff’s Department Sergeant Marino Gonzalez (promoted from Deputy Sheriff since the award was announced) stressed in his acceptance speech that undocumented residents have “nothing to fear if they call LA Sheriff’s Department.”
  • Accepting the award on behalf of the LAPD Criminal Investigation Section (CIS), Lieutenant Anita McKeown stressed that her team “wears a lot of hats.”  They not only investigate crimes with a nexus to terrorism, but investigate threats to schools and places of worship over all 460 miles of the City of Los Angeles.  Hedab Tarifi, Chair of the Islamic Center of Southern California, forwarded words of praise for the CIS team to be read aloud from the podium.  She thanked LAPD for being partners in protecting the Muslim community and stressed appreciation for calming the nerves and anxieties of her community after a series of hateful threats incidents directed at them.  “I will be forever grateful to ADL for recognizing Lt. McKeown and the CIS team.”
  • After the Palm Springs Police Department Investigations Bureau received the award for their work bringing to justice the perpetrator of a vicious crime against LGBTQ individuals, Palm Springs PD Captain Henk Peeters stressed the importance of the agency’s partnership with the LGBTQ community and of recognizing the impact hate crimes have on the community.
  • Prize founder Joe Sherwood’s grandson, David Sherwood, spoke on behalf of his grandfather who had turned 101 the day before and was unable, for the first time, to attend the awards ceremony.  Speaking directly to all the law enforcement personnel assembled, Sherwood expressed how grateful his family is for “everything you do” and saluted their work each and every day.  He closed by repeating the epitaph on a garage wall of a local Police Department – directing it to an audience of law enforcement that consistently put their lives on the line:  “Be smart, be safe, be fair and be back.”

The LAPD Criminal Investigation Section team, flanked by prize benefactors Howard and Stephanie Sherwood on the left and Elaine and Larry Sherwood on the right.

 

In the News:

Jewish Journal

Desert Sun

Los Angeles Times/Laguna Beach Coastline Pilot

Laguna Beach Indy

Wave Newspaper

KESQ-TV Palm Springs (includes video)

Telemundo (video clip)

LA This Week