Specialist Martayan has assisted in a variety of Department operations, from protests to crime scenes to ongoing investigations. Martayan immediately informed the incident commander , and a situation that could have ended badly was safely resolved. “We received a call that a colleague from LAFD had been assaulted while trying to disperse a growing crowd causing fire code violations.” Within moments of officers arriving on scene, a suspect (unaware that Martayan was fluent in the language he was speaking) told his friends that he was going to his car to retrieve his gun.

He recalls being deployed to a protest in the Wilshire Area. He refers to this as breaking down “the brick wall” to overcome “any number of issues, including cultural sensitivities and language barriers.” As a specialist, he has provided the LAPD with an important understanding of the city’s Armenian and Middle Eastern communities. “I was raised by parents who believed that culture, tradition and service to the community were the priorities,” he says. Gregory Martayan’s family has been in the United States since 1919, firmly planting their roots in the Los Angeles area in 1940. But sworn reserve officers (levels I, II and III) have also contributed their unique skills, and we will describe examples of both in this article. In fact, the specific mission of the Corps’ specialist program has been to enable the Department to acquire important skills from, and relations with, the community that it services. There is a wide range of skills that the Corps has contributed, ranging from law enforcement-related expertise to knowledge in other vital areas. This has certainly been given increased focus lately, with the city’s continuing budget concerns and the need for “boots on the ground.” Reserve officer numbers are now reported to the Police Commission as part of the Department’s overall strength.īut perhaps the greater value of the Reserve Corps is in the skills it adds to the Department.“Years ago,” one officer recalls, “I was at an in-service training class, and a seasoned veteran instructor commented on how reserve officers, typically older than the average recruit, brought a degree of life experience and knowledge that complemented the strength and professionalism of the Department.” It has often been reported, for example, that the 700 reserve officers, including specialists, are equivalent to 100 full-time peace officers. Michelle Andrea Smith and PTAFF-Pembroke Taparell Arts & Film Festival were one of SCORE LA’s 2023 success stories.The value and effectiveness of the Reserve Corps have usually been defined in terms of hours worked. “They are now being considered by several organizations.” However, without a business plan, they did not stand a chance of securing funding” explains Dato. “Because PTAFF is committed to improving representation, fair treatment, and healing through the arts, it is attractive to organizations seeking to support diversity, equity, and inclusion. “We can put greater emphasis on the people doing the creative work.” “The business plan we developed with the help of Efren has enabled us to pursue grants to expand our reach as well as create a marketing strategy to build awareness for our mission,” said Festival Director Smith. A business plan and five-year strategy constructed with the help of SCORE LA mentor Efren Dato, is helping Michelle Andrea Smith pursue PTAFF-Pembroke Taparelli Arts & Film Festival’s global mission.Įstablished in 2016, PTAFF provides a platform for independent artists committed to social change to use their voices in film, theatre, spoken word, dance, painting, sculpture, and photography to bring to light issues that transcend borders, including poverty, gender inequality, homelessness, racism, hunger, abuse, sex trafficking, war, mass incarceration, grief and more.

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