Inside the Alhambra Police Department station, one locker door will now stay closed for good. Officer Alec Sanders’ patrol locker has been formally added to the station’s memorial, a permanent tribute that officers say will stand as a lasting reminder of his service and sacrifice. Sanders, 28, was killed Nov. 20, 2025, in a collision during a vehicle pursuit.
Locker Dedicated At The Police Station
In an Alhambra Police Department post on Facebook, the department said Sanders “had his locker memorialized as a lasting reminder of his time within our department.” The message, published April 29, 2026, includes photos of the preserved locker and language honoring his “life of service, a commitment to others, and a sacrifice.”
Officer Sanders' Service And The Crash
Sanders had been with the Alhambra Police Department for eight months, following prior service with the Long Beach Police Department, when he was fatally injured on Nov. 20, 2025. His patrol cruiser collided with an allegedly stolen SUV during a pursuit, the Los Angeles Times reported.
The Los Angeles County District Attorney later charged 27-year-old Steven Ara Zapata of El Monte with two counts of murder and related felonies in connection with the crash, according to a Los Angeles County District Attorney news release.
Community Remembrance And Services
In the days that followed, dozens of colleagues, family members and residents gathered outside the department for a candlelight vigil and later attended funeral services in Sanders’ honor, NBC Los Angeles reported. Officials from multiple agencies, including the California Highway Patrol and county prosecutors, publicly offered condolences and pointed to the risks officers face every time they head out on patrol.
What The Locker Tribute Means
Sanders is listed on the California Peace Officers' Memorial honor roll, which records his end-of-watch as Nov. 20, 2025, and his name appears in statewide remembrance programs. His preserved locker at the Alhambra station now stands alongside other departmental displays that law enforcement agencies use to keep the memory of fallen officers visible to the community and to trainees who are just beginning their careers.
