Photo Courtesy L.E.A.F.F.
L.E.A.F.F. members Rigo Arrellano, Stan Sniff and Rob Medrano
By: Jennifer Madrigal Eastvale – The City of Eastvale is home to the only organization of Law Enforcement and Firefighters in the entire nation. Law enforcement AND Fire Fighters (L.E.A.F.F.) is a group founded in April of 2010 by local Law Enforcement and Fire Fighters who wanted to ensure that Eastvale remained a great place to live. According to L.E.A.F.F. President, Rigo Arrellano, “We run our organization like a union with a President, a VP and a Board to ensure that everything runs smoothly.” In 2010, the estimated number of Law Enforcement and Fire Fighters living in Eastvale was 1500 and in 2013 that number of L.E.A.F.F. members has grown to around 2500. With the large number of Police Officers and Fire Fighters who call Eastvale home, the group started small and grew to include representatives from virtually every department in four counties and includes: Deputy Sheriffs, Police Officers, Corrections Officers, Parole Agents, Highway Patrol Officers, INS Agents, FBI Agents, Paramedics, as well as all assignments in the various Fire Departments. The Mission Statement of L.E.A.F.F. is a simple one: To maintain a high quality of life within this community, with the goal of Eastvale achieving the status of #1 safest city. L.E.A.F.F. achieves this by supporting proactive law enforcement, fire safety and code enforcement. They support the community as a whole, especially as it relates to the safety of its citizens. In fact, you will find L.E.A.F.F. members all over the community: starting Neighborhood Watch Programs, calling in suspicious activity, helping raise funds for fallen firefighters or families in need, etc. L.E.A.F.F. tries to help the community out whenever possible and as a non-profit group they have been able to raise funds through donations and fundraisers that have helped local schools, athletic programs and scholarships for individuals interested in law enforcement or fire fighting. Its members also try and help out by backing up the City Council, Mayor and State encouraging a “pro-active” approach to community. “While members do not engage in doing the actual police work or investigations, their training helps them to keep an eye out for the community and their neighbors,” Arrellano states. Many L.E.A.F.F. members are subject matter experts and lend their expertise to helping the City with everything from traffic to reporting incidents, helping out with scene security and effectively reporting suspicious activity directly to local law enforcement. New L.E.A.F.F. President, Rigo Arrellano, wants to let the community know that L.E.A.F.F is here to help out the community and to make Eastvale an even better place to live. “We believe in being present and active members of the community. I like to get out there and shake hands, pound the pavement and make sure people know who we are and why we are here.” Arrellano also brought up the City of Simi Valley. While it was voted one of safest cities to live in California, partly due to the fact that it is home to a large number of Fire Fighters and Law Enforcement, imagine how great it would have been if those Fire Fighters and Police Officers would have formed a group together. When State, City and local agencies all unite toward a common goal and have a common mission in mind, the possibilities are endless. To find out more about L.E.A.F.F., visit their website at http://www.eleaff.org or email them at info@eleaff.com
