Corporal Justin Laing spots a stolen car listed on the department’s hot sheet. After a dangerous pursuit through a neighborhood, the driver crashes into a parked truck and flees from the vehicle. Corporal Laing gives chase and begins hopping fences, giving directional updates as he goes. Officer Willie Bermudez responds to the pursuit and arrives as several units chase the suspect into a backyard. The suspect makes it over one more fence and is taken into custody. The injured and winded suspect explains to Bermudez that he got the car from his friend, but can’t remember his full name. He claims he didn’t stop because he was trying to get home to his kid and wanted to “avoid all of this”. Bermudez explains the charges to the suspect and suggests this might be a moment to change the path of the young man’s life.
While patrolling in a neighborhood that has been experiencing an increase in car burglaries, Officer Willie Bermudez spots a male suspect on a bicycle with no lights. When he shines the spotlight on the man, the subject begins to pedal away, with no intention to stop and chat. The bicyclist zigzags on and off the sidewalk as the officer maneuvers the patrol vehicle in an attempt to cut him off. After several blocks, the man finally dumps the bike and jumps a fence. The officer pursues the suspect into a backyard and after a brief struggle takes the man into custody. Bermudez recognizes the man as a gangster nicknamed, ‘Frost’, who he has chased many times in the past. While backup arrives, a gun is recovered and ammunition and a holster are found during a search of his person. The suspect receives a felon with a firearm charge and is taken to jail.
| Name | Guillermo “Willie” Bermudez |
| Rank | Police Officer |
| Agency | Fontana Police Department |
| Age | 30 |
| From | San Bernardino County |
| Why Law Enforcement | I was interested in law enforcement throughout my childhood, and joined the Colton Police Department’s explorer program when I was 17. I became a Colton Police Officer when I was 21 years old. I transferred to the Fontana Police Department in August of 2016, and absolutely love working with the men and women of this awesome organization. |
| What was your first arrest and how did it go? Tell us the story. | My first arrest was an arrest for possession of counterfeit money. A convicted walked into a bar and tried to pay with counterfeit money. The bouncers detained him and called the police. I arrested him and booked him for attempting to pass counterfeit bills. |
| What is the best part about your job? | The best part of this job is protecting law-abiding citizens by relentlessly pursuing, arresting and prosecuting criminals. |
| Hobbies | I love spending time with my family (including our doggies). We are Christians and are very involved in our church. We love attending Christian concerts/worship services. We also love Country music, and love going to Country music concerts. We love traveling and trying new steakhouses. We are baseball and football fans, and love going to games. |
| Favorite Quote | “I was born at night, but it wasn’t last night”. |
