Lisa O’Neill Hill; The Press-Enterprise
January 17, 2001, Wednesday
Copyright 2001 The Press Enterprise Co.
THE PRESS-ENTERPRISE (RIVERSIDE, CA.)
January 17, 2001, Wednesday
(RIVERSIDE, Calif.) -- Often choking with emotion, Riverside City Council members, police officers and others paid honor to slain Detective Doug Jacobs Tuesday with prayers, memories and a moment of silence. The tribute continued after dusk with a candlelight vigil organized by ministers.
“This was a man who knew how to be a man,” Riverside Police Chief Russ Leach told the City Council on Tuesday morning. “We know the mark he made on this department.”
Jacobs, 30, was shot and killed Saturday afternoon while helping another officer handle a complaint about a loud radio on Lemon Street.
Dan Bishop, Jacobs’ pastor, told the council about the detective’s strong faith and devotion to his family and community.
Riverside police Lt. Alex Tortes, Jacobs’ friend of four years, had prepared a statement to read in front of the council.
“This is tough,” he said, before tearing up. Deputy Police Chief Audrey Wilson stepped in and read Tortes’ statement, which spoke of Jacobs’ sense of humor, commitment and potential.
Some council members were noticeably touched.
Councilman Chuck Beaty told the council audience he saw the department coming together in the moments and hours after the shooting.
At the hospital, Beaty said he saw Sgt. Don Taulli in plainclothes helping officers cope and telling them what they could do to help.
At the shooting scene, the councilman said he saw Riverside Fire Battalion Chief Mike Esparza doing everything he could to save the wounded detective.
Beaty said the scene took him back to October 1998 when he was shot and seriously wounded before a council meeting. He said he credits Riverside Deputy Fire Chief Steve Earley with saving his life.
“I was the lucky one,” Beaty said. “Doug was not.”
Mayor Ron Loveridge did not ask the council to schedule the next four meetings to discuss programs that deal with problem rental properties. The mayor said it was inappropriate to bring up the programs during Tuesday’s meeting and said he will work with City Manager John Holmes to bring them forward in the coming weeks.
Loveridge had said Monday that Jacobs’ death illustrates the difficulties the city has had with properties like the one where Jacobs was killed. Loveridge said he views troubled properties as ones that police are repeatedly called out to or that have several city code violations.
Tuesday evening, ministers held a candlelight vigil for Jacobs in front of the Safe in His Arms police memorial next to the Riverside Police Department. Some of the pastors were among the city’s harshest critics after the Tyisha Miller shooting by Riverside officers, but they made it clear their presence was not “political or covert in any way.”
The theme was sharing in the city’s hurt, said the Rev. Paul Munford, pastor of New Joy Baptist Church in Riverside.
“We don’t just march on a one-sided basis,” Munford said. “We want to share our condolences and respect.”
About 50 people attended, including several officers and Chief Leach, who said he was overwhelmed by the gathering.
“Let’s hope unity is here to stay,” Leach said. “I’ve seen a lot of it the past few days.”
Services will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday at Harvest Christian Fellowship, 6115 Arlington Ave. Burial will follow in Olivewood Cemetery. Police said Central Avenue between Riverside and Victoria avenues will be closed during the processional. The eastbound lane will be reopened after the processional, but police are asking the public to use alternate routes.
Police have established a trust fund for Jacobs’ family. Checks can be made to the Charles D. Jacobs III Memorial Trust Fund, Account 14177, Riverside Employees Credit Union, 8543 Indiana Ave., Riverside 92504
The man suspected in the killing of the detective, Steve Woodruff, is scheduled to appear in court for arraignment today.
Chief Deputy District Attorney Mike Soccio said his office is looking at filing murder, attempted murder and lying-in-wait charges and a special circumstance of killing an officer in the line of duty, which would make Woodruff eligible for the death penalty if convicted.
The district attorney’s office also is looking at a second special circumstance of killing in order to avoid an arrest, he said. The district attorney said it appears Woodruff shot the officer to avoid having his relatives arrested.