California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 84

Introduced by Assembly Member O'Donnell

June 8, 2015

Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 84—Relative to the Officer Joe Mata and Officer Roberto C. Sanchez Memorial Highway.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

ACR 84, as introduced, O'Donnell. Officer Joe Mata and Officer Roberto C. Sanchez Memorial Highway.

This measure would designate the portion of State Highway Route 110 between Exit 1A and Exit 1B in the City of Los Angeles as the Officer Joe Mata and Officer Roberto C. Sanchez Memorial Highway. The measure would also request the Department of Transportation to determine the cost of appropriate signs consistent with the signing requirements for the state highway system showing this special designation and, upon receiving donations from nonstate sources sufficient to cover that cost, to erect those signs.

Fiscal committee: yes.

WHEREAS, Officer Robert Joe Mata was a police officer for
the Los Angeles Police Department; and

WHEREAS, Officer Mata was born on October 10, 1973, in
Los Angeles, California. He graduated from Etiwanda High School
in June of 1991; and

WHEREAS, Officer Mata enlisted in the United States Navy
in 1992, serving on the destroyer U.S.S. Fletcher (DD-992). During
his service to our country, Officer Mata was awarded the National
Defense Service Medal, the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon (First
Award), and the Southwest Asia Service Medal, which is awarded
to those naval personnel who patrolled the area near Iraq during
the months after the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait; and

WHEREAS, Upon discharge from the Navy, Officer Mata
settled in Hawaii, where he met and married his wife, Holly. They
moved to Whittier, California, and had two daughters,
Kaleikaumaka and Pi-ilani; and

WHEREAS, Officer Mata entered the Los Angeles Police
Academy on January 22, 1996. He served his probationary time
in the Newton area, where his handling of a 15 year-old potential
runaway was recognized. Office Mata convinced the troubled teen
to stay home and seek help to work through his troubles with his
parent; and

WHEREAS, After passing his probation, Officer Mata moved
on to the Southeast area. Officer Mata’s final division of
assignment was in the Harbor area, where he was assigned to the
Specialized Enforcement Unit, Gang Detail; and

WHEREAS, On September 19, 2000, Officer Mata was killed
in a vehicle accident in the Harbor area while responding to a call
for backup from another officer who was investigating a stolen
vehicle; and

WHEREAS, Officer Roberto C. Sanchez was a police officer
for the Los Angeles Police Department; and

WHEREAS, Officer Sanchez was born on September 19, 1981,
in Mexico City to his loving parents, Francisco and Patricia
Sanchez; and

WHEREAS, The Sanchez family moved to Santa Ana,
California, where Officer Sanchez attended Saddleback High
School; and

WHEREAS, Officer Sanchez entered the Los Angeles Police
Academy in 2008, believing that being a police officer was the
most honorable way of serving the community and protecting the
innocent; and

WHEREAS, Officer Sanchez married his wife, Sonia, on June
14, 2009; and

WHEREAS, Officer Sanchez honorably served with the Los
Angeles Police Department for six years. His assignments included
the areas of West Los Angeles, Newton, and Harbor, and he worked
with his partner Rich Medina; and

WHEREAS, Officer Sanchez enjoyed spending time with his
family and friends, and volunteering at his niece’s school, where
he read to students for “Read Across America”; and

WHEREAS, On May 3, 2014, Officer Sanchez and his partner
were in pursuit of a vehicle after attempting to make a traffic stop.
While continuing the pursuit, Officer Sanchez’s vehicle was struck
by another vehicle near the intersection of Senator Avenue and
Anaheim Street. Officer Sanchez and his partner were transported
to a local hospital where Officer Sanchez later succumbed to his
injuries; and

WHEREAS, It is appropriate to memorialize the service and
sacrifices of Officers Mata and Sanchez by designating a portion
of State Highway Route 110 in their honor; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate
thereof concurring, That the Legislature hereby designates the
portion of State Highway Route 110 between Exit 1A and Exit 1B
in the City of Los Angeles as the Officer Joe Mata and Officer
Roberto C. Sanchez Memorial Highway; and be it further

Resolved, That the Department of Transportation is requested
to determine the cost of appropriate signs consistent with the
signing requirements for the state highway system showing this
special designation, and upon receiving donations from nonstate
sources sufficient to cover the cost, to erect those signs; and be it
further

Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies
of this resolution to the Director of Transportation and to the author
for appropriate distribution.