As any of you know, that have actually ridden in the Downed Officer Support Ride, one thing I have always said is that, "Behind every name is a story, behind every story are tears." In this case my own words ring in my ears with a new clarity and meaning. Deputy Kuredjian was a close personal friend of mine and was one of our motor officer escorts on the Downed Officer Support Ride on August 26, 2001. Five days later, his life was cut short in an all out fire fight in Santa Clarita, California. The Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms was serving an arrest warrant on a James Beck, for weapons violations and impersonation of a Federal Marshall. Beck refused to come out of his home and he initiated a fire fight with the agents and deputies who came to serve the warrant. Deputy Kuredjian was answering their assistance/shots fired request when he was shot by the suspect with a high powered, scoped rifle. Beck ultimately died when his house caught fire and burned to the ground. It has not been determined, as of this writing, whether he died as a result of the fire, or by his own hand, or whether he was shot during the shootout. One of the most distressing facts of this entireincident, is that James Beck was once an Arcadia, California police officer, although he never made it off training and was fired by that department after eight months on the job.

Jake was an immensely well liked deputy. I knew him for almost 10 years, after my promotion in 1994, I was one of Jake's Patrol Sergeants for almost 6 years. Jake was also a confirmed Harley rider, he and I were two of the original members of the Iron Warriors M/C of Los Angeles County. Just five short months ago, Jake was given the position of Motor Officer, something he had dreamed of for his entire career. Jake had a wonderful fiancee and was amassing all of the toys a man could want. He was happier than I had ever seen him .Jake had a way of making everyone feel like they were his best friend. Even people he arrested, or wrote a ticket to, shook his hand and smiled. In the ten years I knew him, I never saw him have a bad day. His infectious smile lit up any room he walked in to. Jake had five loves in his life, his Fiancee Theresa and her son Curtis, his job, his family, his motorcycles and of course, a good cigar. Jake was also a staunch supporter of the Downed Officer Support Ride. He had ridden in the ride four times and this year led a group of bikes, on his Motor, from the San Fernando Valley, to the Santa Clarita Valley. He was so excited when he got to Santa Clarita, he was just beaming with pride to have been an integral part of this year's event. Five days later, Jake was gone. We were never going to see his smiling face or ride the highways with him on our Harleys again.

Jake was a good cop and an avid motorcyclist,,,,,,,,,

RIDE FREE JAKE, YOU WILL BE MISSED BY ALL WHOSE LIFE YOU TOUCHED!!

                                --Sarge