Western Diocese

Los Angeles Chief of Police William Bratton has been invited by His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate of the Western Diocese, Armenian Church of North America to address the members of the Armenian community on February 19, 2008 at St. John Garabed Armenian Church in Hollywood. Under the auspices of the Western Diocese, the Primate will host a reception beginning at 6:30 p.m. to afford members of the Armenian community the opportunity to hear first hand from the distinguished Chief of Police issues of local concern and to share dialogue in order to work together in crime prevention and safety promotion.

Archbishop Hovnan Derderian stated “It is imperative that the church and civic authorities, namely the Police Department, collaborate closely to prevent crime, and to educate our children, our youth, and community members to become exemplary and loyal citizens of the United States. Chief Bratton has been a dedicated public servant reaching out to all communities in the greater Los Angeles area. He has facilitated countless meetings and dialogue groups for the benefit and the well being of the community. This event organized by the Western Diocese at St. John Garabed Church will prove to be another milestone in facilitating a sincere and open dialogue between the Armenian community and the Police Department. Our children are not immune to wrong doing. It is our responsibility to guide them, assist them, and teach them the right way. In that regard, Chief Bratton’s presence has a special role to play in the life of our community.”

William J. Bratton was appointed Chief of the Los Angeles Police Department in October 2002. The Chief oversees the third largest police department in the U.S., managing 9,300 sworn officers, 3,000 civilian employees, and an annual budget of more than one billion dollars. The only person ever to serve as chief executive of both the LAPD and the NYPD, Chief Bratton established an international reputation for reengineering police departments and fighting crime in the l990s.

A U.S. Army Vietnam veteran, Chief Bratton began his policing career in 1970, as a police officer with the Boston Police Department, rising to Superintendent of Police, the department’s highest sworn rank, in ten years. In the 1980s he headed two other police agencies, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Police and the Massachusetts Metropolitan District Commission Police.

Chief Bratton holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Law Enforcement from Boston State College/University of Massachusetts. He is a graduate of the FBI National Executive

Institute and was a Senior Executive Fellow at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard. Among his many honors and awards, Chief Bratton holds the Schroeder Brothers Medal, the Boston Police Department’s highest award for valor. Representatives from Armenian community organizations and key community leaders will be in attendance.

For further information please contact the Western Diocese at (818) 558-7474.