03/20/2026
Our team is incredibly proud of our team mate and Training Leader, S/R Deputy Dan Farrell for his courage and professionalism that led to him receiving the Livesaving Award yesterday. Details of the underlying incident are: On December 14, 2025, a 14-year-old minor female (“MP”) was reported missing from her residence. MP had contacted a su***de hotline, fled her residence the night before, and made statements indicating suicidal intent. Due to the proximity of the residence to a national park, Lost Hills Station patrol deputies requested the Malibu Search and Rescue Team (Malibu SAR) to assist.
During the search of the wilderness , S/R Deputies Farrell and Franco, and Civilian Volunteer Specialists Annis and Hollinger, located the MP in rugged terrain. As a couple of the rescuers appeared, MP fled into the nearby hills. Deputy Farrell and CVS Annis circled around the mountain, using another hiking trail in an effort to head off MP as she ran away from the other rescuers. Deputy Farrell eventually observed MP and as he moved towards her, she fled down into a deep canyon filled with heavy brush. As Deputy Farrell calmly
approached MP and calmly and sensitively de-escalated the situation, secured compliance with his order to drop the knife, and safely removed the weapon from MP’s vicinity, eliminating the immediate threat to MP’s and his own life, without the use of lethal or non-lethal force.
Deputy Farrell’s decisive actions directly prevented the likely su***de or grave bodily injury of an armed juvenile and/or harm to rescuers. His conduct reflects courage, professionalism, and extraordinary service beyond normal expectations. These actions are fully consistent with the intent and criteria of the Lifesaving Honors. City of Malibu - GovernmentLost Hills Sheriff's StationLos Angeles County Sheriff's DepartmentMountain Rescue AssociationCalifornia Region of the Mountain Rescue AssociationLASD Reserve Forces Detail LASD Recruitment UnitCity of Malibu Office of Public SafetyMalibu Volunteers on Patrol
