The radio crackled with urgency — an active shooter was terrorizing the streets of Azusa, California. Jim Moss and his Air Rescue 5 team were already nearby, searching for missing hikers in the canyon. In an instant, their routine mission transformed into a high-stakes rescue operation.
“He started shooting up cars. He just started walking down the street, shooting everybody he possibly could,” Moss recalled of the methamphetamine-fueled suspect who had emerged from his house wielding an AR-15 rifle. As the Azusa Police Department engaged the gunman, Moss and his Emergency Services Detail (ESD) team prepared to respond — their years of specialized training about to be tested like never before.
What followed was a complex and dangerous operation that would push every skill Moss had developed over his 36-year career with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
Azusa police confronted the suspect, forcing him back into his home, where an intense gunfight ensued. Meanwhile, Moss and his team deployed to a nearby school, quickly shifting their focus to rescuing and treating victims.
“We had to put together a hasty plan to perform a rescue,” Moss said. They found a man down in a front yard and began immediate medical treatment. As the situation escalated, more victims emerged, and the team adapted on the fly.
“Over the radio, we kept hearing about more people down,” Moss said. “We just said, ‘If you’ve got an injured person, get them to the school, get them to the helicopter — we’ll sort it all out there.’”
The most difficult moment came after the suspect was finally subdued.
“This is something a lot of people don’t realize,” Moss explained. “As trauma medics on scene, we had to try to save the suspect. That’s a tough thing to do — mentally — for someone who just tried to kill a lot of people, including us and the officers from Azusa PD.”
In the end, the suspect’s injuries were non-survivable. But the operation stood as a powerful testament to the team’s skill, professionalism, and ability to make life-or-death decisions under extreme pressure.
“The teamwork involved in that operation — not just from our team, but from the Azusa Police Department and everyone else on scene — was just phenomenal,” Moss said.
It was a moment that captured the exceptional capabilities of the ESD, a unit few people even know exists. From mountain rescues to active shooter situations, the ESD is uniquely trained to handle some of the most dangerous and complex missions imaginable.
“A lot of people don’t realize there’s a unit where you can call one team, and a small group of guys has the ability to handle a wide range of tasks,” Moss explained. From SWAT operations and medical rescues to ocean interventions and mountain recoveries, the ESD represents the pinnacle of law enforcement and emergency response.
Now retired after 36 years of distinguished service, Moss reflects on moments like these as defining experiences — milestones in a career he never planned, but ultimately found purpose in.
“I never wanted to be a policeman or a fireman,” he admitted. “It just happened to me by chance.”
As a college student struggling to make ends meet, Moss stumbled into law enforcement almost accidentally. A group of friends was heading to take the deputy sheriff test, and Moss, drawn by the prospect of better pay, decided to tag along. He failed the first interview due to a lack of preparation, but he didn’t give up. Determined to prove himself, he immersed in ride-alongs and research.
“I went on some ride-alongs, did a ton of research, and really prepared for the interview,” he said. “That’s when I realized — this is actually something I really want to do.”
After being accepted into the academy, Moss began his career working in the jails. But it was a chance moment during a riot that would redefine his path. Watching the elite SWAT team in action, he was instantly drawn to their skill, precision, and sense of purpose.
“I saw them during that operation and thought, ‘Oh my gosh, that’s what I want to do with my life,’” Moss recalled. “From that moment on, I dedicated the rest of my career to becoming an SEB deputy.”
Earning a place among elites
The path to joining the Special Enforcement Bureau (SEB) — the elite unit that oversees both SWAT and the ESD — was long and demanding. Moss spent 16 years building his skill set, serving in specialized assignments like the gang enforcement team and the training bureau, all while repeatedly testing for one of the most coveted positions in law enforcement.
“It’s unbelievably competitive to get there,” Moss said. “Maybe 100 guys out of 10,000 will test for that one spot.”
But Moss was undeterred. Fueled by relentless work ethic and passion for the job, he kept pushing forward. With the mentorship of leaders like Tom Giandomenico, he sharpened his abilities in shooting, tactics, and medical response — preparing himself physically, mentally, and emotionally for SEB’s high demands.
“Tom was our crew chief. He constantly taught me and pushed me when I needed it,” Moss recalled. “He supported me when I needed support, and when I made mistakes, we’d go over how to fix them so they didn’t happen again.”
That preparation paid off. Moss was ultimately accepted into the SEB, where he would spend the next 20 years of his career — eight with the SWAT team and 12 with the ESD. It was within this specialized unit that Moss mastered a staggering range of capabilities: tactical operations, hostage rescue, mountain and ocean rescues, dive missions, and even hazardous materials response.
“We get so many live reps doing all of these things — it’s challenging, but it’s also really fun,” he said. “Countless times, we’d be en route to one incident and have to divert to another. Or as soon as one call ended, we’d head straight to someone missing in the ocean.”
Maintaining that kind of versatility demanded intense training. Moss and his teammates devoted countless hours to refining their skills — whether it was shooting, rope rescues, or trauma medicine. But the mental side of the job was just as rigorous.
“The training is intense. It’s focused,” Moss said. “You have to build those fundamentals through thousands and thousands of reps. Once you lock those in, it becomes all about decision-making.”
More than the mission
For Moss, the greatest reward of his career was never the accolades or adrenaline-fueled rescues. It was the camaraderie — the unbreakable bond formed with his teammates — and the shared commitment to serving the community.
“The rescues and operations are great memories, but what I miss most is the culture — something I don’t think I’ll ever find again. It was special. It was meaningful,” Moss said.
That sense of connection and support became a cornerstone of Moss’s leadership philosophy. Whether it was covering a shift so a teammate could spend Christmas with their kids or offering a listening ear after a difficult call, Moss prioritized trust, empathy, and mutual respect. He understood that the strength of the team came not just from training, but from truly looking out for one another.
“It created a culture where we really wanted to take care of each other,” Moss said.
As Moss reflects on his career, he sees it as more than just a personal climb through the ranks of an elite unit. It’s a story shaped by persistence, growth, and the influence of strong mentors and teammates. For him, the challenges he faced were never about individual glory — they were about showing up prepared and supporting the people around him.
“Prepare yourself as best you can,” Moss said. “Go into it with passion and preparation. Don’t worry about making mistakes or the outcome. If you’ve done the work, you can look in the mirror and be OK with how it turns out.”
That mindset carried him through both the rewarding moments and the tough ones, and it still guides him today. What matters most to him isn’t medals or headlines, but the people he worked alongside, the culture they created, and the lessons they passed on.
“It’s the best job in the world,” Moss said, his voice full of pride and nostalgia. “If you’ve got passion and a work ethic, go for it. Prepare yourself. Learn from every experience you can. Take in every lesson along the way — and keep going.”
Moss’s journey may have come to a close, but the impact of his career will echo for years to come — fueling the next generation of deputies to strive for excellence, serve with integrity, and carry forward the spirit of a team that became more like family.