Lesbian Police Officer Among Victims of L.A. Train Crash

Among the 25 people who perished on Friday when a commuter train crashed head-on with a freight train in a Los Angeles suburb was a lesbian LAPD officer.

Spree Desha, 35, was riding home from Los Angeles Police Department headquarters downtown when the Metrolink train she was on crashed at about 4:30 p.m. in the Chatsworth section of the city. Hours after the crash, Desha's body was carried out of the train draped by an American flag as fellow police officers and rescue personnel saluted her.

A strong, quiet presence, Desha was loved by her fellow officers and train riders. She proudly wore her uniform on the train to reassure riders that they were under the watchful eye of the police.

Desha -- a patrol officer since 2001, first in North Hollywood and then downtown Los Angeles -- was a standout presence in the LAPD, and many believed she had a big future in the department. Desha earned 34 formal commendations in her personnel record. Many fellow police officers recalled how Desha spearheaded a cancer fund-raiser where she shaved off her hair to raise money for research.

At a recent press conference, Desha's parents told the media about the love their daughter had for her job and for helping people. Desha's partner, Laura Gerritsen, also spoke. "She would do anything for anybody," Gerritsen said of Desha. "She was such a giver -- she didn't have a bone of hate in her body." (Neal Broverman, The Advocate)