Meet your 2025 Honorary Sheriff: Sam Lagana

 

First, I want to thank Maryam Zar for swearing me in. As the former community council chair and a leader of initiatives on the Westside and here in Pacific Palisades, I am honored to stand with you as we work together to make our community shine. To Traci Park, thank you for being here, Councilwoman! What you are doing for our community and supporting the people of Pacific Palisades is significant. Your leadership is an example to many public servants about what making community great is all about. I also extend my gratitude to Gates Security for starting this program over twenty years ago. Scott Wagenseller, your leadership as CEO of Gates and as past Commander of the Legion Post has made Pacific Palisades a better place. Thank you to my family who is here for their support and love.  I will need you as a vital members of my Sheriff’s posse.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I am both humbled and honored to stand before you today as I accept the role of honorary town sheriff. This title is more than a badge—it represents a commitment to safeguard not only our community’s soul, but its history, and the spirit of unity that makes our Palisades so uniquely cherished.

In accepting this honorary role, I would like to pay tribute to those who have faithfully served as Honorary Town Sheriff over the past twenty years. I extend my deepest reverence to Don Haselkorn, Rich Wilken, Townsend Bell, Mike Skinner, Mike Lanning, and Roger McGrath. Their leadership, dedication, and unwavering commitment to our community have set a high standard and laid the foundation upon which we continue to build. Their legacy reminds us that the strength of Pacific Palisades lies in our shared commitment to one another and to preserving the unique heritage that defines us.

Today, as we embark on a new chapter—our ongoing rebuild following the January firestorms—we are presented with both a challenge and an opportunity. Our goal is not simply to construct new structures and fix legacy homes, but to weave our future with the threads of our past. We aim to ensure that every new development, every restoration, every community initiative, and every policy reflects the historic ethos of Pacific Palisades. Our mission is to preserve the quaint charm, the rich traditions, and the heartfelt camaraderie that have defined our town for generations.

I believe that our strength lies in unity and positivity. On this journey, we will work hand in hand with residents, local businesses, and community leaders to bring everyone together for our common good of Committing to The Palisades. We will focus on aligning the best interests of our community—preserving our traditions, protecting our neighborhoods, and prospering as one cohesive small town in Mass society. Together, we can create an environment where every citizen feels valued, where the past is honored, and where our future shines brightly with the promise of growth, innovation, and mutual respect.

As your honorary town sheriff, I commit to being a guardian not only of our public safety but also of the values that make our community special. I promise to work with an uplifting spirit, to listen to your voices, and to act with integrity, ensuring that Pacific Palisades remains a place we are all proud to call home.

Thank you for entrusting me with this role. Let us move forward with Sheriffs objectives to enhance the spirit of unity, honor our history, and build a future that continues to preserve, protect, and prosper Pacific Palisades. Let’s go! If you're rich, you live in Beverly Hills, if you’re famous you live in Malibu. If you’re lucky you live in Pacific Palisades!!!