Non-Member Status of Involved Officer Prevents LDF Response
On May 10, 2025, a large impromptu event was organized via social media attracting hundreds of members of area biker gangs to Lake Perris State Recreation Area. Due to the large number of participants, Parks staff began directing attendees to other parking areas in order to control the amount of traffic. At 6:50 p.m., two California State Park Rangers assigned to Lake Perris responded to one of the parking lots within the location after hearing shots fired. Upon arriving in the area, they faced a stampede of visitors fleeing from the area of the weapons discharge. The officers encountered a subject who allegedly attempted to produce a firearm concealed on his person, resulting in one of the officers discharging his weapon in self-defense. The subject was struck by gunfire, detained, and provided medical care. He was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
Subsequent to the critical incident, California Statewide Law Enforcement Association (CSLEA) Legal Defense Fund Administrator Kasey Clark was contacted via the 24/7 after-hours answering service and returned the call from the involved officers’ supervisor. After speaking with the supervisor, it was determined that the officer who had fired his weapon was not a CSLEA member and therefore, not entitled to the assistance of a LDF Panel Attorney who would typically be authorized to provide immediate assistance in these circumstances. Clark advised the supervisor that unfortunately the officer was on his own in undergoing the investigation by the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office.
The following day, Clark briefed State Parks Peace Officers Association (SPPOAC) President Matt Yarbrough regarding the incident. Yarbrough reached out to the involved officer and supervisor but expressed frustration that some peace officers fail to take the necessary steps to become a member. “CSLEA and SPPOAC attend every Parks academy and inform cadets about the importance of having legal defense coverage. The small percentage of officers who elect to not sign up during the academy run the risk of not remembering to take care of it upon graduation and can find themselves in these unfortunate circumstances. Having been personally involved in a justified shooting, I can state first-hand the importance of having an experienced attorney by one’s side during the stress of the investigative process,” said Yarbrough.
CSLEA encourages all Unit 7 employees, particularly those who are armed peace officers, to confirm their membership status and submit an online application if they have not yet joined.
