Hollywood Detective Posthumously Awarded Purple Heart

An honor more than 20 years in the making, Los Angeles Police Detective Russell Kuster's Purple Heart Award is now permanently on display in the Hollywood Division as a reminder of his act of heroism in the community.

While the award was unveiled and dedicated on Wednesday at the LAPD Hollywood station, Kuster posthumously received the award in September. The Purple Heart Award is given by the LAPD to department employees who are killed or sustain serious injuries in the line of duty, said Sgt. Robert McDonald.

Kuster was the Hollywood Detective Division's Homicide Coordinator. Ironically, it was when he was off-duty and dining in a local restaurant on Oct. 9, 1990, that tragedy struck.

“There was a shoot out at a restaurant,” McDonald said. “He was killed, but he was able to mortally wound the assailant.”

Kuster’s show of force came in the midst of trying to keep the gunman from shooting patrons and other innocent bystanders, according to the LAPD website. However, Kuster was still eligible to receive the award even though he had officially left work for the day. 

"Even though you're off-duty, you're never really off-duty," said Sgt. Darrell Davis of the Hollywood Community Relations Office.

McDonald recalls how Kuster’s death had a big impact on everyone who worked with him, saying the department was like his family.

“Hollywood took it very hard,” McDonald said. “He was very well liked and very well respected.”

This year marked the first year in decades that the award has been given, but the department hopes to make it an annual event, Davis said.