My Police academy assault & Permanent Disability

Hello, my name is Tenillia Hebron. April 09, 2018, I joined the Department of Police Services at California's Department of State Hospitals in Atascadero. It is an all-male, maximum-security facility that houses mentally ill convicts who have been committed to psychiatric facilities by California courts. The department has there own fully functioning police department on state grounds. Their police academy is at the Camp San Luis Obispo Military base.

I wanted to join because I was determined to protect, serve and attempt to improve the system in any way possible. Also, the fact that the hospital is involved with mental health and rehabilitation piqued my interest. It is supposed to be focused on the mental health of prisoners, more so than other entities like corrections. I worked as a pre-cadet there for months before the police academy started, so I became knowledgeable about the institution.

Fast-forward to a few weeks before our police academy graduation. We were doing the arrest and control portion of our training. We went over everything to ensure we could arrest under the legal protocol. During these weeks, a female officer was brought in solely for female cadets to spare with. On September 27, 2018, I was the only female cadet paired with a male officer. He was also larger than me, with years of martial arts and combat training.

During training, we had strict orders not to use full force. Also, immediately stop contact with our sparring partner when they tapped twice or said, "tap tap." I was outmatched, had too much force against me, and could not getaway. I could not process what happened at the time, but my body started going into shock. I could tell something significantly wrong had occurred. Under the protocol, I tapped him twice and said, "tap tap."

He decided not to get off of me. I repeated this multiple times while pinned to the ground. I then told him, "this hurts something is wrong." He then said, "in a real situation an inmate wouldn't get off you, so neither am I." I panicked and continued attempting to free myself while the officer ignored other cadets screaming, "get off of her!" He finally stopped and got off when another cadet broke protocol, ran over, and grabbed his arm. Military base first responders were called and had to cut my pants to get to the injury.

We then discovered that my right patella dislocated to the other side of my knee. I was taken via ambulance to the Sierra Vista hospital emergency room. While there, we needed officers and nurses to hold me still as an ER doctor manually forced my patella back into my knee. I received crutches and a leg immobilizer. Unfortunately, this occurred the same day I had to board a plane to attend my parent's wedding in Hawaii. I received help from family members to be there. My first and only experience in Hawaii was being bedridden and in pain.

I witnessed my parent's wedding ceremony but was in too much pain to handle the reception. My family carried me outside to take a family portrait. Afterward, I immediately needed to be carried back to prevent my injured patella from drifting out of my knee. While there, I received notification that I would not be able to return home to bed rest. Instead, I had to report back to the military base and work for weeks longer. I was notified that I would not pass the police academy, there also most likely would not be room for me in future academies. I had to continue with modified work for the State Hospital while they figured out what to do with me.

After over a month of working on crutches, I was then able to obtain an injured workman's compensation. This was a dark time and I cannot give details on why because I am currently in an active lawsuit. I did not get the help or support I needed. I then started to get pay stubs with, "on hold" written on them, instead of help. That, mixed with various health issues I was facing, prompted me to get a workman's comp attorney.

I explained my situation, along with the abnormal behavior I started exhibiting after my injury. He referred me to a therapist who diagnosed me with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. My attorney after some time helped me receive compensation again to start physical and mental therapy. Unfortunately, while attempting physical rehabilitation all of my benefits were taken away. Recommendations to continue treatment from my physical therapist and orthopedic surgeon were ignored.

Some removed benefits included: my physical therapy, pain management specialist, orthopedic surgeon, compensation, and health insurance. Some of these, I only acquired because of my attorney. Luckily, my mental therapist continued treatment provided I pay them back when possible. I am not even healed enough to jog or walk upstairs without support.

Despite this, I was expected to return to the facility, then Bootcamp, or I would not receive further treatment. I was scared to even walk on department grounds at that point due to PTSD. My doctor and I also had many safety concerns with me being a police cadet again. The main reason, I cannot run away from inmates if they were to attack me, especially up the corridor stairs that most units have. I would have also been a target for these men because of a very visible limp, that sometimes still affects me today. Additionally, I could not pass the physical portion of a police academy, so I would immediately be fired.

My doctor sent a temporary disability notice due to PTSD which was also ignored. My work comp attorney was able to obtain a then, temporary disability status for me along with my on-hold checks. I was able to pay rent but still without physical therapy or any other benefits. I was required by the State Hospital to attend a Qualified Medical Examination. This doctor was to determine if my knee injury at the police academy was temporary or permanent. Dr. Jeffrey Lundeen issued a decision on December 16, 2020, that I indeed was a Qualified Injured Worker with a permanent disability. I was also qualified to apply for industrial disability retirement. This application was taken to a Worker's Compensation Appeal Board judge on September 21, 2021. On September 28, 2021, we received the decision that I should be awarded industrial disability retirement.

Unfortunately, this leads to what is happening to me currently. My verdict was discarded by my employers and my industrial disability retirement was denied, although I was already awarded benefits from the judge. I was notified a few days ago that I have to do an entire appeal trial, go before another judge, and plead my case. I was able to retain my work comp attorney because unlike other lawyers there was not an upfront fee. Instead, they are given a portion of whatever I am given from a judge.

This trial is significantly more formal than my previous one. It is not simply a group meeting to work out an agreement. It is a full-court proceeding. One that calls for an attorney specializing in this field. As well as numerous professionals brought in or subpoenaed. This is a larger case than I ever could have imagined and representing myself in a court of law would be a grave mistake. I am not an attorney and have never dealt with a situation even close to this. Due to the fact that this is a large case appeal, I am trying to raise $30,000 to retain a lawyer and plead my case.

I need an advocate to help settle my permanent disability lawsuit. I need physical therapy, a solution for if in the future I need knee replacement surgery, and be able to go back to school to build my future up, despite this disability affecting me for the rest of my life. I am not assuming this GoFundMe will help me with all of the legal resources that I need. I will just be forever grateful for any financial support or professional legal counsel. Even if bare minimum, I can get legal help for answers as to why I was the only female cadet paired with a male police officer, I will be appreciative.

After this much hardship and chronic pain, I deserve at least that. Disabilities, including ones that are not extremely visible, are a massive struggle. It makes it easier for people and agencies to dismiss our pain without seeing what we do in private to bear with it and if they have not experienced it. This is a lot to put out to the public. It is honestly a struggle for me to be vulnerable and ask for help but this is what I have been dealing with for over 3 1/2 years of my life. I just found out I would need a separate attorney to represent me a couple of days ago. I need the attorney to help me start preparing for this trial ASAP. Thank you so much for your time. I am grateful to anyone who bothers to listen to my situation or shares this so I can get support. I hope you all have a blessed day.