July 13, 2026

Ep. 84 - Former LAPD Gang Officer Kristina Ripatti – The Incident that Changed Her Life Forever and Her 10-year Career in Law Enforcement.

Show Notes

Ep. 84 - Former LAPD Officer Kristina Ripatti joined LAPD in 1996 and later served on LAPD’s CRASH Gang Unit assigned to the Rollin’ 30s Harlem Crips. Her patrol partner and gang unit partner was LAPD Det. Tim Pearce who later became her life partner when they got married.

Their lives would change forever on June 3, 2006, when an Officer Down call came out. That officer was Kristina. While in a foot pursuit with a subject, that subject shot Kristina in her armpit severing her spine and instantly paralyzing her. The subject continued shooting Kristina once she was down until her partner Officer Joe Meyer could neutralize him. Tim responded to the Officer Down call initially not knowing it was Kristina. He arrived on scene to find her near death. In fact, she lost so much blood, she was later diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury after years of not having a medical explanation for what she was experiencing mentally and emotionally.

As I say in the episode, I know Kristina’s story through my interview with Tim in Episode 78 during which he lovingly tells the story of their life together, the impact of this tragedy and Kristina’s courage and grit in getting through all of it.

Hearing Tim tell their story inspired me to want to hear Kristina’s story from Kristina. Tim connected us and the result is this episode.

We do go through the life-altering events of June 3rd, what she remembers, what she experienced. It is a raw and painful account, and I thank Kristina for sharing it.

But as I say to her, it’s not her whole story. Those who know Kristina – likely some of you listening to this episode – know her to have been a hard-charging officer both fearless and tenacious. Or to use Tim’s words, “She’s like a pit bull. She just won’t let go.” Her skill was obvious to all starting as far back as the Academy. Kristina shares some funny stories from those early days as well as some hair-raising accounts from patrol and the gang unit including the near-fatal shooting she and Tim were in and the devastating line of duty death of Gang Officer Phil Cuesta.

Kristina has earned her Master’s in social work and is a therapist specializing in trauma. She and Tim are no longer married but remain friends and are working together as part of a documentary project called “Nothing to See Here: Watts.” It’s a unique documentary made by rival gang members, police, victims of violence all from Watts in LA.

Thank you, Kristina, for your service as a police officer and for allowing me to tell your story.

Officer Filberto Cuesta

E.O.W. Sunday, August 9, 1998

You are not forgotten. Thank you for your service.

https://www.odmp.org/officer/15131-police-officer-ii-filberto-henry-cuesta-jr

“Nothing to See Here: Watts”

https://nothingtoseeheremovie.com/

My interview with Tim:

Ep. 78 - LAPD Gang Det. Tim Pearce on his 18-year LE Career and the “Officer Needs Help” Call That Changed Everything.

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