Members of the Pacific Palisades Task Force on Homelessness hosted a goodbye luncheon for John “Rusty” Redican at the Highlands last week.
Officer John “Rusty” Redican was honored on Wednesday, September 15, with a farewell luncheon at K’s Bakery in the Highlands. After almost six years in Pacific Palisades working with the homeless, he will become an LAPD firearms instructor working out of Elysian Park.
Sharon Kilbride, co-president of the Pacific Palisades Task Force on Homelessness, joked that she was known as Redican’s “work wife” and said, “I’ve worked with him since 2016. The Palisades was a mess with more than 170 camps. It took us two years to clean up the camps and house the majority of the people. Rusty was compassionate. It’s been a pleasure to work with him. There will never be another Rusty.”
Lou Kamer, another local active resident, praised Redican as somebody who “gets the work done.”
Tom Creed remembered meeting Rusty in the Chamber of Commerce office, when a box of donuts was being shared. He also recalled when Rusty “saved” him. A cougar was on the loose in the Palisades and when Creed, with his dog, discovered the tracks—he instantly called Rusty, who got him safely off the hillside.
The mountain lion was later found in Tahitian Terrace and Rusty contacted Fish and Game, which came and tranquilized the lion, collared him and moved him back into the hills.
LAPD officer Rusty Redican took the lead in making sure the mountain lion was tranquilized and safely transported to a new area.
Glanda Sherman, a social worker with The People Concern, who has been working here with Rusty since the inception of the task force, said, “I always felt safe with Rusty here. He has such passion for working with the homeless—he gets it.” She added, “Thanks to his wife and kids for sharing him.”
Patrick Hart remembered the time that Rusty went to the bus bench by Von’s, where a transient had a large bottle of bourbon that still had the security collar on it. The transient, even with store video evidence, denied taking the booze. Hart said that Rusty let the guy go but said, “I never want to see you in Pacific Palisades again.” Hart, a long-time volunteer with PPTHF, said that they have never seen the transient again. (At the luncheon, Rusty shared that the store didn’t want to press charges).
Another task force member, Bruce Schwartz, said simply, “You are forever in our hearts, Rusty.”
PPTFH Co-President Sharon Browning said, “You were everywhere, you were the face of PPTFH at all our community meetings. We expect you back here—you are awesome.”
Redican was given a framed collage of his many camp cleanups and meetings in Pacific Palisades.
He will also be honored at the Pacific Palisades Community Council meeting this Thursday night.