Our Fallen
The Palm Springs Police Memorial Foundation
Since its inception, the Palm Springs Police Memorial Foundation has distributed thousands of dollars to police families by providing funding for the college education of dependents of officers killed in the line of duty.
The foundation has paid for medical and funeral expenses for law enforcement families. In addition to this, the PSPMF has assistedand with the special educational needs of children with learning disabilities, as well as many other local charities.
In looking forward to our future leaders of Palm Springs, the foundation encourages and mentors those high school students interested in a career in law enforcement.
In Memory of Our Fallen
Officer Lesley Zerebny
Officer Lesley Zerebny and Officer Gil Vega were shot and killed while responding to a domestic disturbance call in the 2700 block of Cypress Road shortly after noon on October 8, 2016.
A family member from the home called to report that her son was acting crazy. The suspect’s later went to a neighbor's house and stated that his son was armed and wanted to shoot police officers. Responding officers, including Officer Vega and Officer Zerebny, arrived at the scene several minutes later.
At some point the suspect inside the home opened fire on the officers, killing Officer Vega and Officer Zerebny and wounding a third officer.
The suspect then barricaded himself inside the home for approximately 12 hours. He was taken into custody by members of the Riverside County Sheriff's Office SWAT team. The subject was an admitted gang member.
Officer Zerebny had served with the Palm Springs Police Department for 18 months. She was survived by her husband, who also serves in law enforcement, and 4-month-old child.
Officer Vega had served with the Palm Springs Police Department for 35 years and was scheduled to retire only two months after his murder. He was working an overtime shift on the day he was murdered. He is survived by his wife and eight children.
Officer Gil Vega
Officer Lesley Zerebny and Officer Gil Vega were shot and killed while responding to a domestic disturbance call in the 2700 block of Cypress Road shortly after noon on October 8, 2016. 
A family member from the home called to report that her son was acting crazy. The suspect’s later went to a neighbor's house and stated that his son was armed and wanted to shoot police officers. Responding officers, including Officer Vega and Officer Zerebny, arrived at the scene several minutes later.
At some point the suspect inside the home opened fire on the officers, killing Officer Vega and Officer Zerebny and wounding a third officer.
The suspect then barricaded himself inside the home for approximately 12 hours. He was taken into custody by members of the Riverside County Sheriff's Office SWAT team. The subject was an admitted gang member.
Officer Zerebny had served with the Palm Springs Police Department for 18 months. She was survived by her husband, who also serves in law enforcement, and 4-month-old child.
Officer Vega had served with the Palm Springs Police Department for 35 years and was scheduled to retire only two months after his murder. He was working an overtime shift on the day he was murdered. He is survived by his wife and eight children.
Officer Lyle Wayne Larrabee
Officer Lyle Wayne Larrabee, age 26, was killed in an automobile accident during a pursuit of a vehicle on January 1, 1962. A third vehicle pulled out in front of him during the pursuit, swerving to avoid a collision he lost control of his car crashing into a light standard at the corner of Indian Avenue and Tamarisk. He was immediately ejected from the cruiser which rolled over on him, he died a short time later at the hospital.
Officer Larrabee was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and had been with the Palm Springs Police Department for one year. He is survived by his wife and mother.
Officer Gale Gene Eldridge
Officer Gale Gene Eldridge, age 32, was on duty January 18, 1961, when he stopped a car for a traffic violation at approximately 7:45 in the evening. The driver told Officer Eldridge that he was on his way to a party on the "Reservation." The "Reservation" was a residential area located in the 200 block of South Indian Avenue.
Officer Eldridge allowed the driver to leave the scene and was alerted a short time later that this person was involved in a robbery in Banning. Gale called for a backup officer to meet with him in the "Reservation." Officer Quincy Welch responded to that request. Officer Eldridge drove down a separate street while Quincy came from another direction.
Officer Welch heard on the police radio that Gale had stopped the suspect and was out of the car investigating. A short time later, Officer Welch heard two gunshots. When Officer Welch arrived on the scene, he found Gale face down in his police car. Gale had been shot in the stomach. His gun was at his feet and had not been fired. Upon further investigation, the suspect was found in his car and he had been shot in the head. Two shots had been fired from the driver's gun.
It is speculation that Officer Eldridge had a brief struggle with the robber, who apparently shot Gale in the stomach. Gale was able to use the suspect's own gun to shoot him in the head. Both Gale and the suspect died at the scene.
Officer Eldridge is survived by his wife and thrree children : Gale, 13; Donna, 11 and Bobby, 5.