UNIFORMED SENDOFF FOR LAPD'S ERNIE.

Byline: DENNIS MCCARTHY

Goodbye, Ernie, and thanks for the 25 years you gave this city, protecting and serving it as a Los Angeles police officer from 1944 to 1969.

Before you died last Sunday at age 92, you - Sgt. Ernest N. Moore - were at the top of the list as the oldest surviving LAPD veteran.

Your daughter, Eileen Keating of Saugus, said you could still fit into your moth-eaten police uniform, and you proved it a couple of years ago, when you showed up when her son-in-law, Robert Greenbaum, graduated from the Los Angeles Police Academy.

You'd be happy to know, Ernie, that he returned the favor at your funeral a couple of days ago - young Officer Greenbaum, in uniform, with his wife, your granddaughter Laurie, standing over your flag-draped casket.

They were joined by the whole family, including another granddaughter, Diane, and her husband, J.P. Harris, both of them wearing their uniforms as Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies.

Eileen tells me you were proud of members of your family going into the law enforcement field, and, in particular, trying to carry on your work with juvenile offenders - trying to get to them before it was too late.

Your daughter was boxing up some more of your memorabilia Thursday, getting ready to take it to the LAPD Historical Museum. The museum is being remodeled right now, but director Richard Calk promises that when the dust settles, your police history will be right there in a case among other long-surviving veterans of the department.

So, again, thanks, Ernie, for protecting and serving this city for 25 years.

If you're short on volunteer time this holiday season but looking for a way to make a difference, the San Fernando Valley Chapter of Daughters of the American Revolution want to help you out.

The DAR is asking people to show their support for military personnel overseas, fighting the war against terrorism, by sending a Christmas and holiday greeting to the 3,000 men and women currently serving aboard the USS John C. Stennis.

``We're encouraging all adults and children to write a personal letter or provide holiday cards with notes, expressing thanks and support for the dedication and service of these men and women,'' said DAR official Devon Vaughn.

The local chapter will be sending prepaid phone cards for the crew and will include them with your holiday cards and letters, which must be received by the DAR by Nov. 30, to ensure delivery for the holidays.

Cards and letters without a monetary donation should be mailed to NSDAR: Project Patriot, Public Relations Office, 1776 D St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20006-5303.

For those who want to include a tax-deductible monetary donation, which will be used to buy needed items for the ship's personnel, Vaughn said, write to NSDAR: Project Patriot, Treasurer General, at the address above. Checks should be made payable to Treasurer General, NSDAR.

And finally, congratulations to the more than 200 students from Monroe, Van Nuys, North Hollywood, Grant, San Fernando and Polytechnic high schools who are graduating Saturday from the Los Angeles Valley College Justice and Fire Academies.

It's a wonderful training program - sponsored by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, Los Angeles Fire Department, and the Los Angeles Unified School District - for high school kids who want to pursue a career in law enforcement or firefighting.

There will be demonstrations of skill and presentations of awards, so if you're in the area and want to give some great kids a pat on the back, stop by the graduation ceremony from noon to 2 p.m. in Monarch Square on the campus at 5800 Fulton Ave., Valley Glen.

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Sgt. Ernest N. Moore, who served the Los Angeles Police Department from 1944 until he retired in 1969, looked mighty snappy in his uniform. Three family members who are also in law enforcement attended his recent funeral in uniform.