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On Friday, 9/29/07, the Simi Valley football
team dedicated a locker in Jim's memory. The Tutino family
was elated to donate a flag that was flown at the Nation's
Capital in May 2006, on the day that Jim was inducted to the
National Police Memorial. Each player was encouraged to tap
the flag as they exited the room, hopefully taking the Honor,
Dedication and Pride to the field with them. Tony and I were
invited to speak to the players just before they took the
field and, even though they were the underdogs, they left
the field as winners. We hope that spirit and passion that
the flag brings to the players will be felt long after the
memories of Jim's coaching days are gone. |
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Our 2007 fundraising
event is being held in honor of Coach Rosie Brown, whose
life was cut short in 2006. Rosie was a close friend of
Jim’s, a fellow football coach at Simi Valley High
and a retired fellow peace officer. His passion for coaching
young people, and his love of life, made an impact on
all who knew him. He will long be remembered.
We miss you Rosie!
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A letter from our 2007 Scholarship Winner:
My name is Cassandra and as you know, I was the recipient
of the 2007 James Tutino Memorial Scholarship. First of
all I would like to take this time to thank you for choosing
me for this wonderful opportunity. Without your assistance,
I am quite certain that I would not have been able to attend
the school of my choice, which is California State San Marcos.
I attended the orientation this past weekend and I am positive
that I am going to love it. I realize that your family could
have given this scholarship to any number of recipients
and I am grateful that you chose me. With your help I will
be able to make the most of my college experience and move
forward in continuing my education to become a medical doctor.
Thank you for making it possible! I truly appreciate it
more than I can communicate to you in this letter.
Thank you and good luck in
college Cassandra - the Tutino family
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To view a picture tribute to
Jim - Click
here
Deputy James P. Tutino was a 22-year veteran of the Los Angeles
County Sheriff’s Department. On January 26, 2005, at
0550 hours, Deputy Tutino was murdered, along with ten other
innocent commuters, while providing security on a Metro Link
train traveling into the Los Angeles Civic Center from Ventura
County.
Deputy Tutino was a dedicated professional law enforcement
officer who attained expertise in fields that many in law
enforcement did not understand. Jim spent 21 years working
in the Los Angeles County jail system, and he knew it better
than nearly anyone. He not only knew the system, but he also
knew the people who called jail and prison home. The jail
was Jim’s police beat, and it was his desire to know
it better than anyone. This beat is a world void of rational
thinking -- a place where a stare will get a man beat down,
a mis-spoken word will get you stabbed, using the wrong phone
can cause a riot, and where talking to the police will get
you killed. In this world, righteousness and virtue are viewed
as weakness, and hate and brutality are viewed as strengths.
It’s a place where guys named “Evil,” “Wicked,”
and “Psycho” are the “community.”
It was in this world that Jim was able to make sense of the
senseless. Jim knew there was a reason for everything; seemingly
meaningless acts actually had meaning. Somehow Jim was able
to understand this chaos. Jim had an unquenchable desire to
know every aspect of this world; it was his police beat. He
had to understand what was behind this insanity.
Jim was a recognized expert on prison gangs, street gangs,
the “Aryan Brotherhood,” motorcycle gangs, and
numerous hate groups. Without hesitation, Jim could tell you
who the main players were in each group. He knew them like
a sports fanatic knows the great players in a sport. He knew
their stats, their crimes, how they got their nicknames, where
they did their prison time, who their associates were, if
they were still in prison or out, and if they were dead or
still alive. He knew things you can’t learn from taking
a class or reading a book. Jim went to the source to learn
these things. He wasn’t afraid to talk to anyone. I’d
walk into our office and Jim would have some hardened convict,
covered head to toe in tattoos, sitting next to his desk.
They would be talking like they’d known each other for
years. Jim would toss out a few names, and the convict would
start telling Jim what was going on with each guy. It was
like watching a master at work. He showed them some respect,
he talked their language, he knew their culture, and he gained
their trust. They would tell Jim what he wanted to know --
who was calling the shots, who was holding the keys, who was
in trouble, and who was causing trouble. They respected him.
Jim knew there were few people who were capable of doing
what he did and even fewer who did it as well. He knew that
in order to combat an enemy, you have to know the enemy.
Jim strived to know them better than anyone else. And he
did.
He had friends and contacts throughout the Sheriff’s
Department, Los Angeles Police Department, Federal Bureau
of Investigations, California Department of Corrections,
and nearly every other law enforcement agency around. He
had sources he couldn’t tell you about.
Jim always tried to do what was right. He did it to protect
the people he loved, his fellow deputies and custody assistants
working in the jails. He did it for his family. He did it
to protect the community. He even did it to protect the
crooks from themselves. He did it because that was his job
as a Los Angeles County Deputy Sheriff.
Jim lived his personal life as hard as he worked. If he
started an activity, he tried to master it. He always gave
100 percent. He loved to run and nearly always took part
in the Baker to Vegas relay race, on the old guys’
team. He loved Ford Mustangs, and knew them backwards and
forwards. He was born in Pennsylvania and was a die-hard
Pittsburgh Steelers fan. However, above everything else,
Jim loved people. His family and friends came first, and
after that he tried to help anyone he could.
Jim was a teenager at heart which explains his love of
kids. How else could a guy go from working a full shift
at the largest jail in the country, dealing with gang members,
to face a group of teenagers on a hot football field in
the middle of August. He loved the kids and he loved the
game. In his off time, he would spend hours upon hours going
over plays and reviewing game tapes. Win or lose, he loved
working with the team and helping the players on and off
the field.
Deputy James P. Tutino was a true friend, a faithful husband,
a loving father, a dedicated coach, and a great cop.
Submitted by Deputy Tutino’s
friend and supervisor, Lieutenant Roger Ross.
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Jim and I were best friends in the 8th and 9th grade. We
especially hung around together in the summers. He only
lived few blocks away from me so we got together quite frequently
for some mischief making; nothing serious, just stuff boys
do. Seeing his picture in the news brought back a flood
of memories from my childhood days living in the S.F. Valley.
We played baseball at West Valley Little League and then
Senior League. Jim had jets even back then. If you wanted
a base stolen, he was the one to send. After high school,
I lost contact with him, as with most of the other people
we grew up with, although most people still live in the
area (Southern California) we all go on to start and raise
our families as he did as well. During the time we were
growing up in Junior High and High School, there were lots
of bad influences bombarding us, but Jim was one of the
good influences that helped us all not to give in to the
‘dark side’ of the society. His upbeat personality
was always evident, and he practiced what he preached. He
wasn’t a quitter, and he wasn’t a slacker either.
He always put forth a 100% effort at what he did. I was
disappointed he didn’t play football in his senior
year in High School, and I didn’t understand why for
many years, but he was smarter than I was. I guess he figured
out that there weren’t any girls playing football,
but half the band was made up of girls, and the drill team
was 100 % girls. So while I was Captain of and an 0-9 football
team, he was having fun, getting the most out of life, as
usual. Smart guy. I’m glad I have the memories of
him to carry with me. I wish I could have reconnected with
him at some point after High School.
May God bless and keep you all. Michael E. Grahek
A fathers love is always and forever
No matter where and how
My father and i will always be together
I just wish it would be now
I miss you dad oh so much
I just want one last touch
To hold, hug, and embrace
Just one last time, let me see your face
Daddy, Daddy why did you leave
We arent done with you, cant you see
Not only me, but our entire family
Written by:
Nick Tutino - Jim's son
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