Annual Public Safety Awards Luncheon is Next Tuesday
The Palm Desert Chamber of Commerce will be hosting the 12th Annual Peace Officer and Public Safety Awards Luncheon at the Hyatt Grand Champions, next Tuesday, Nov 25.
The annual event is a great way for local businesses, community leaders, and members of the entire Coachella Valley community to come out and “dine amongst our everyday heroes” The Palm Desert Chamber along with sponsors from the business community, city governments, and local organizations take the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, to give Thanks to those who go thankless for keeping us safe and secure in the Valley on a daily basis.
Department Supervisors and other officials from throughout the community nominate officers and employees from within their departments for going above the call of duty, organizing innovative community programs, and other distinguishing services. Members from the local Sheriff offices, local Police Departments, the Border Patrol, California Highway Patrol, and local Fire and Emergency departments are all represented. The luncheon is a perfect opportunity for anyone to dine amongst the awardees and their peers and hear about what makes them stand out and why they are being awarded.
Every year stories of encouragement and stories of heroism are told, and a crowd of over 500 pays homage. If you want to come out and say “thank you” to our everyday heroes, there are still seats and tables left. The public is invited to attend. Seats are only $55 including lunch, or $500 for a table of 10. To reserve please call the Palm Desert Chamber at 760-346-6111 or visit them at www.pdcc.org or at their new location, the Palm Desert Henderson Community Building at 72559 Hwy 111.
The event gets under way at 11:45 a.m.
This year’s honorees:
Non-Sworn Employee of the Year
Public Safety Dispatcher Stephen Fulton; California Highway Patrol – Indio Area
(Sponsored by FirstBank)
Citizen Assisted Involvement - Volunteer of the Year Award
Tom McLaughlin
Nominated by Indio Police Department
(Sponsored by The Walter Clark Legal Group)
Service to Youth Group Award
Deputy Nelson Pena
Deputy Eduardo Reynoso
Deputy Jose Munoz
Probation Officer Yvonne Quintana
Probation Officer Antonio Figueroa
Riverside County Sheriff’s Office – Indio Station – Coachella Police Department
(Sponsored by The City of Indian Wells)
Service to Youth Individual Award
Alanna Reichle; Palm Springs Police Department – Western Coachella Valley P.A.L.
(Sponsored by The Hundred Club)
Service to Youth Individual Award
Fire Apparatus Engineer Shane Miller; Riverside County F.D.– Indio Division – Station 87
(Sponsored by Casuelas’ Cafe)
Outstanding Community Service Program
Officer Craig Rentle; California Highway Patrol – Indio Area
(Sponsored by the Gardens on El Paseo)
Citizen Assisted Involvement - Citizen of the Year Award Law Enforcement
Giancarlo Macias, Mario Centu, Jose Angel Garcia & Alfredo Isadora
Nominated by Riverside County Sheriff’s Department – Indio Station – La Quinta P.D.
(Sponsored by Fantasy Springs Resort Casino)
Citizen Assisted Involvement - Citizen of the Year Award - Fire Safety
Frederick “Fritz” Collins & William “Bear” Mastas
Nominated by Palm Springs Fire Department and the City of Palm Springs Public Works
(Sponsored by El Paseo Jewelry Exchange)
Narcotics Enforcement
Patrol Officer Todd Brothers; Cathedral City P.D.
(Sponsored by Southern California Edison)
Outstanding Performance for Specialized
Duties - Law Enforcement
Investigator Robert Nagels
Investigator Joe Quintero
Investigator Denise Ward
Investigator Juan Zamora
Riverside County Sheriff’s Department – Indio Station
(Sponsored by Westfield)
Outstanding Performance for Specialized Duties - Fire Service
Fire Captain Paramedic Joe Rodriguez
Riverside County Fire Department – East Operational Area
(Sponsored by The Gas Company, A Sempra Utility Company)
Significant Cases of Incident Worked - Law Enforcement
Investigator Robert Garcia; Riverside County Sheriff’s Department – Palm Desert Station
(Sponsored by The City of Palm Desert)
Outstanding Canine Team
Border Patrol Agent Carlos Zepeda & Canine Tosca-D
United States Border Patrol – Indio Station
(Sponsored by Idearc Media Group / Verizon Yellow Pages)
All Around Excellence - Law Enforcement
Investigator Brad Farwell; Riverside County Sheriff’s Department – Indio Station
(Sponsored by Costco Wholesale Palm Desert)
All Around Excellence - Fire Service
Fire Apparatus Engineer Kevin McNally; Riverside County Fire Department – Fire Station 71
(Sponsored by Burrtec Waste & Recycling Services)
Coachella Valley Medal of Valor - Law Enforcement
Deputy Christopher Frederick; Riverside County Sheriff’s Department – La Quinta P.D.
(Sponsored by The Law Offices of Dale Gribow)