Retired SWAT officer remembers Officer Simmons
As we get closer to the date of Officer Randal Simmon's funeral set for Friday, check the blog as we are talking with SWAT officers and others who knew the selfless veteran cop and use this space for remembrances. On Friday I talked with retired SWAT Officer Rick Massa who recalls the day back in 1988 or so when he first saw the man come through the door at Elysian Park for his first day on the SWAT team after having been transfered from the South side of Los Angeles.
Massa was in awe of Simmons the first time he saw him.
He had come to SWAT from patrolling the Southside of Los Angeles. The former football player was a weight lifter, a muscle builder. He was well defined, fast, athletic, the perfect fit for the rigors of SWAT.
“We used to talk football from day one,” Massa said last week recalling his friend over the phone. “We immediately clicked.”
He was always there, always wanted to do more, always wanted to put time in.
Not only was he physical, but he also could shoot well and was mentally tough.
“When I say he's well-rounded, Randy was it.”