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LEAPS
El Paso
Aaron Fernandez
Chairman
El Paso, Texas: 19th-largest city in the nation, the No. 1 safest city in Texas, and now the second-safest in the nation as of January 2008. What is going on in El Paso that makes it so safe? Well, good neighborhoods and good communication between the El Paso Police Department and the public, but in the middle of it all is LEAPS.
The mission of the Law Enforcement and Private Security Organization is to promote the concept of crime
prevention, enhance communication, and encourage cooperation between law enforcement agencies and corporate and private security organizations to aid in the reduction of and opportunity for crime within the city and county of El Paso, Texas.
The year 2007 ended with the re-election of Aaron Jude Fernandez as continuing chairman of LEAPS along with a co-chair, Assistant Chief of Police Ken Adcox. Also, Secretary Robert E. Flores is the newly elected secretary for LEAPS. With this elected board, LEAPS started off 2008 with great aspirations, new ideas and additional participation from members, as well as a re-dedication from the committee members.
The beginning of 2008 was very sad for local security and law enforcement in El Paso, due to the tragic death of Security Officer Cruz Vite, who passed away form complications due to an on-duty assault while at his post. During this time of sadness, local security companies both large and small, along with local and federal law-enforcement agencies, rallied to show their support for our fallen security officer.
If the question was ever asked, “What does LEAPS really stand for?” then this was the shining example of what LEAPS means. The close friendships natured during our monthly meetings shone brightly as everyone rallied to show their support to the family of Security Officer Cruz Vite.
In summary, LEAPS El Paso stands for more than security and law enforcement meeting every month and just talking – it’s the “doing” that makes the difference. And this “doing” is what will propel LEAPS El Paso to grow and be a valuable resource for both private security and law enforcement to share valuable information and communicate with each, without feeling intimated or unimportant, since our common goal is to make our city safe for our children and our children’s children.
LEAPS El Paso is also going through some new changes that will propel the organization into a new direction for the remainder of 2008 and into 2009.
One unfortunate change in July 2008, however, is the retirement of Assistant Chief of Police Ken Adcox from both the El Paso Police Department and LEAPS El Paso. Assistant Chief of Police Ken Adcox has played an invaluable role in helping LEAPS’ membership and attendance grow from a handful of members to more than 45 in attendance at the monthly meetings. Ken Adcox has continued his support of LEAPS and its members for more than eight years with a general open-mindedness that made members feel welcome and open to expressing ideas and sharing information with the multitude of involved law enforcement and private security firms. In Ken’s place, Commander Victor Zarur from the El Paso Police Department has been appointed co-chair to LEAPS El Paso. Commander Zarur will be a great asset to LEAPS El Paso, bringing more than 21 years of law enforcement experience.
Pictured, left to right, are incoming Co-Chair Commander Victor Zarur,
Chairman Aaron Fernandez and outgoing Co-Chair Assistant
Chief Ken Adcox.
Another big change came due in part to rising fuel costs that the local P.D. has had to endure, which have led to cuts in the funding of our monthly luncheons. Throughout these changes, and knowing the great value that LEAPS has brought to El Paso, Ken Wimmer, administrative director of security and transportation for Sierra Providence Health Network and a founding member of LEAPS El Paso, stepped up to the plate and was able to secure a venue at Providence Hospital where LEAPS can continue its catered monthly meetings. As such, we would like to thank Sierra Providence Health Network and Ken Wimmer for all their help. We would also like to wish Ken Adcox the best in his new endeavors and let him know he will be missed, but not forgotten.
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