Housing Homeless Program|City of Pasadena

I would like to attend the memorial service for your brother on September 30. Your remarks at yesterday’s Council meeting were beautiful. Just hours before the meeting I received an email from a homeless services case manager sharing the good news that a homeless young mother had recently moved into her own two-bedroom apartment with her two children. Your brother had called or texted me about this young family (probably on a weekend or late at night J) back in November because they had fallen into homelessness and had reached out to him for help. He cared about them, as he cared about all his fellow humans, and always did everything he could to help. In this case and in so many others, he really did make a huge difference.

Kindly,

Jenni

Jennifer O’Reilly-Jones Homeless Programs Coordinator

Rick Law

Commander, Pasadena Police Department (retired)

I am honored, and would like to thank the Kennedy Family for asking me to reflect upon my years of friendship with John.

We met as young boys, but as young men, life brought our paths together in 1987 during his presidency with the NAACP, and I was a Sergeant at the Pasadena Police Department.

I had the pleasure of taking John on a ridea-long. Everywhere we went we recognized someone we knew and engaged them in conversation. As the evening ended, it felt as though we had attended our respective high school reunions.

In 1992 as a Lieutenant assigned to Community Services, then Chief Jerry Oliver hired John as a Civilian Employee.

I was responsible for developing a Citizen’s Police Academy where the participants would learn how the department functioned, and John assisted me.

Santa Barbara Police Department had a Citizen’s Police Academy, which John and I visited. As we returned to Pasadena, we stopped and had lunch. When we were both finished, John ordered seconds, along with dessert. At that point, I learned John truly loved Fine Dining.

The academy curriculum created continues to be offered to community members.

John represented District 3 since 2013. He was a dedicated public servant “fighting the good fight” for the betterment of humanity. His physical body may no longer be with us, but his heart and soul of what he stood for will forever remain alive in our community.