Police Department

2010 Police Officer of the Year Luis Vasquez

Officer Luis Vasquez, an 8 year veteran of the Vernon Police Department, first started his career as a civilian Vernon Service Officer. As a Service Officer, Luis worked primarily as a jailer but assisted in the Communications Center and handled parking enforcement duties when necessary.

Luis' dedication to law enforcement was clearly evident early on when he first started his career as a jailer. He conducted his duties in a responsible manner; he displayed a positive attitude; and demonstrated a strong work ethic. He also made it clear that what he really wanted to do was fulfill a lifelong dream of becoming a police officer.

Based upon his performance as a Vernon Service Officer, Luis was given the opportunity to fulfill his lifelong dream. He was selected to attend the Police Academy in 2003, and upon graduating from the academy, began working as a patrol officer. Since that time, Luis has continued to develop his skills and has become a very good police officer in Vernon.

Luis' selection as the Police Officer of the Year was unanimous. Luis was chosen for this award based upon his strong work ethic and ability to achieve results. In 2010 he was consistently among the top performers in felony and misdemeanor arrests, traffic enforcement activities and observational contacts.

 

Additional Police Department Resources:
General Information: Mission Statement Police Department Annual Report Job Opportunities Chief's Office Officer of the Year Memorial Page	Divisions & Bureaus: Administration Patrol Investigation Communications Records / Towing Jail	Specialized Units: Bike Team C.O.P. D.A.R.E. Professional Standards Task Forces Canine Team Motor Unit

More importantly, the majority of his arrests stemmed from observations rather than just routine calls for service. Some of his arrests were developed through good old-fashioned police work. During patrol briefing, Luis makes it a point to note information regarding recent crimes. With the information provided during briefing, Luis patrolled the streets with a goal to locate and apprehend suspects committing crimes in Vernon.

His efforts paid off this year as he was able to close-out some open cases solely using information obtained during patrol briefing. For example, earlier in the year, two thefts were reported in which the suspect vehicle was described as a yellow Nissan Xterra. Approximately a week later, Luis was patrolling the area where the crimes were reported and spotted a vehicle that fit the description of the suspect vehicle. Luis and another officer stopped the vehicle and after speaking with the driver about the reported crimes, he obtained a confession from the driver. Some of the items that were reported stolen were also found in the suspect's vehicle. This is an example of the quality work that Luis did throughout the last year.

Several of Luis' supervisors cited several reasons for selecting him for this award. Some notable comments are as follows:

• "Luis is a team member who never complains and gets the job done!"
• "Luis always displays a mature attitude and he projects his energy to those that work around him."
• "Luis promotes the values of the organization and sets a good example for others to follow."
• "He is a dedicated employee and is always the first to offer a helping hand."
• "Luis will do whatever is asked of him and will give you 110% effort each and everyday."
• "Luis has done a tremendous job for us. He pays close attention to patrol information and is a proactive officer."

Luis exemplifies the Police Department's commitment of providing quality service. He is without a doubt a true asset to our organization and to our business community. It is an honor to name Officer Luis Vasquez as Police Officer of the Year 2010!