On Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2015, Sheriff Jim McDonnell presented 25 members of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department with highest honors during the annual Valor Awards Ceremony. This year’s event took place at USC’s Galen Center.

The medals were awarded to Department members who perform acts of great bravery or heroism, above and beyond the call of duty, to save the lives of others while placing their own lives at risk.

The awards ceremony was free and opened to the public. The Mistress of Ceremonies, Bri Winkler, narrated the awards, recounting the heroic actions of each award recipient before an audience of more than 700 Department personnel, colleagues, family and friends. The event was attended by various police department chiefs, officials, representatives from the offices of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, and local dignitaries.

Derek Herrera, United States Marine Corps Retired Captain, was the honorary guest. In 2012, Captain Herrera was shot and paralyzed from the chest down while leading his Special Operations Team on patrol in Afghanistan. He was the first person in the United States to purchase the Exoskeleton, a robotic device which allows paraplegics to stand and walk.

Captain Herrera founded Spinal Singularity, Inc. The team is working toward designing medical devices to improve the quality of life for people with paralysis. He is a strong advocate for veterans, having vowed to honor all the men and women who have sacrificed themselves by sharing his story and challenging others to be better human beings. You can learn more about Captain Herrera and his mission by visiting www.spinalsingularity.com or Derek Herrera on Facebook.

A special appearance was made by United States Marine Corps Retired Staff Sergeant Tim Chambers. In 2002, Staff Sergeant Chambers attended the annual Rolling Thunder Run motorcycle ride event in Washington, D.C. and was inspired to spontaneously step off the curb and give a salute to veterans and patriots in the procession. That first salute has become an annual occurrence. Staff Sergeant Chambers stands in frozen salute for hours at a time, in full uniform, until each and every rider is acknowledged.

For more information on Staff Sergeant Tim Chambers or to donate to his mission, please visit the Saluting Marine at www.gofundme.com.

As part of a special presentation, private citizens Jesse Buenrostro, Eddie Esguerra, Mario Gasca, Elizabeth Herring, Daniel Leos, Cory Mulvey, Ricardo Valenzuela and Alfonso Rios Rojas were presented with the Sheriff’s Department Humanitarian Medal for their fearless and courageous actions when rendering aid to Department personnel.

The 2015 award recipients were as follows:

Honorees:

Century Station

Sergeant Vincent M. Ursini

Detective Scott C. Giles

Detective Omar Miranda

Detective Arturo R. Spencer

The above personnel were recognized for while concluding an investigation on August 26, 2014, Detectives Giles and Spencer were shot at by a suspect, striking and wounding Detective Spencer. Sergeant Ursini and Detective Miranda were conducting a separate investigation when they heard the emergent radio broadcast of an officer involved shooting and immediately responded, entering the area of live fire. They located the wounded deputy and transported him to the hospital. They then returned to the command post to assist in the suspect’s apprehension. A containment of an apartment where the suspect barricaded himself was coordinated and citizens were evacuated from the area. The suspect emerged from the apartment armed with a handgun and a second deputy involved shooting occurred. The suspect was struck by gunfire and pronounced dead at the scene.

Deputy Norma Silva

Pre-Employment/Backgrounds

Deputy Silva was recognized for while responding to an attempt kidnapping call on June 21, 2012, she encountered and engaged in a fierce life and death struggle with the violent suspect after he entered her patrol car and attacked her. In self-defense and fearing for her life, Deputy Silva fired her duty weapon at the suspect, killing him.

Lancaster Station

Lieutenant Joseph F. Fender

Lieutenant Fender was recognized for after responding to an assault with a deadly weapon call on October 29, 2006, he was shot and wounded in the chest by a suspect during a fierce struggle. Despite being injured, he continued to engage in the battle with the suspect, during which the suspect was fatally shot.

Special Enforcement Bureau

Deputy Seth A. Belville

Deputy Stephen R. Longan

Deputy Carlos E. Lopez

Deputy Charles A. Miranda

Deputy Ian M. Stade

The above personnel was recognized for their collective efforts in the pursuit of an armed and barricaded 74 year-old suspect who had threatened to kill first responders after she had placed a 9-1-1 call on May 21, 2015. The lengthy 22 hour standoff failed to get the suspect to surrender. The process included deployment of a surveillance robot, chemical agents, canine units and less-lethal force. Determined to bring this incident to a safe and successful conclusion, deputies volunteered to remove their body armor and enter a crawl space where the suspect was hiding. Moving together, the team grabbed the suspect and prevented her from reaching for her weapon and subsequently ending the ordeal safely and without injury to the suspect or deputy personnel.

Special Enforcement Bureau

Sergeant Russell D. Boucher

Deputy Mark J. Desmarteau

Deputy Richard L. Diliberti

Deputy Gonzalo Galvez

Deputy Kevin K. Hilgendorf

Deputy Stephen R. Longan

Deputy James N. Ponsford

Deputy Ian M. Stade

Deputy Andrew M. Toone

The above personnel were recognized for their collective efforts on August 1, 2014, while in the pursuit of a suspect who had barricaded himself in a residence, holding the female resident hostage. Negotiations requesting the suspect to surrender and release the suspect were unsuccessful and the suspect intermittently responded with gunfire and screams from the suspect. The suspect ceases communications with crisis negotiators and it became necessary for deputies to make entry into the residence. The hostage was rescued unharmed as deputies simultaneously engaged in gunfire with the armed suspect.

Special Enforcement Bureau

Lieutenant Thomas A. Giandomenico

Deputy James S. Moss

The above personnel was recognized for providing medical support to a multi-agency operation targeting an outlaw motorcycle gang conducted on October 28, 2014. During the warrant service, an officer was struck by gunfire and immediately fell to the ground, severely wounded. They entered the danger zone and carried the wounded officer out of the line of fire and loaded the officer into their armored ambulance and rendered advanced life support medical treatment while transporting the officer to the hospital. Tragically, despite their efforts, the officer succumbed to his injuries.

Avalon Station

Deputy Jeffrey W. Flotree

Deputy Daniel R. Torres

The above personnel was recognized for while under 60 miles per hour and intense wave conditions December 30, 2014, in the city of Avalon, they attempted to save the life of a Harbor Patrol officer who had boarded a boat in an attempt to steer it away from shore. Deputy Torres instructed Deputy Flotree to grip the back of his utility belt to anchor himself to a hand rail for support. Deputy Torres reached down and desperately attempted to grasp the officer’s hand, but was unable to secure a firm grip. The surf was too great and the vessel pushed against the officer, preventing Deputy Torresfrom plucking him from the water.

Deputies made more attempts to reach the officer, but the surf was too powerful to overcome and their efforts were hopeless. The officer was washed to sea and his body was recovered the following day.

East Los Angeles Station

Deputy Argelia Huerta

Deputy Andre E. Kneubuhler

Deputy Adrian Rendon

Mr. Jesse Buenrostro

Mr. Mario Gasca

The above personnel was recognized for responding to a structure fire call on April 20, 2015, and attempting to rescue an elderly male who was trapped inside and incapable of escaping the fire on his own.

Deputies Huerta and Rendon entered the house, got on their hands and knees and crawled into the smoke-filled living room. They were overcome by heat and smoke and had to exit. After learning the man trapped inside was disabled and confined to a bed, Deputy Rendon quickly went to the north side of the property and began breaking the bedroom windows. Deputy Huerta went to the rear of the location and attempted to make entry through the rear door, but was overcome by intense heat and smoke.

Mr. Gasca was one of the neighbors on the scene when deputies arrived. He lives across the street and noticed kids breaking the windows of his neighbor’s house. Believing they were breaking into the home, he went outside and saw the black smoke. He realized the kids were trying to let smoke out by breaking the windows. Mr. Gasca ran across the street and took a few steps inside the front door. The smoke was too intense and he was unable to go in any further. He could hear the elderly male asking for help.

Mr. Buenrostro was in the back yard of his home when he smelled smoke. He walked to the front of his house and saw smoke billowing from his neighbor’s house, he then ran back to his yard and alerted his friends. Mr. Buenrostro and his friends ran to the burning house and looked inside a window. He opened a door and tried to walk in, but was overcome with black smoke. He heard someone screaming for help and saw the elderly man lying on the living room couch, surrounded by flames. He quickly grabbed a garden hose, ran inside the burning home and sprayed water on the man’s legs and surrounding area. He remained as long as he could, but was also overcome by smoke and had to run out.

Deputy Kneubuhler arrived and heard people yelling there was an elderly man inside the burning house. With prior knowledge of fire suppression, he used a water hose to spray the living room ceiling. He called out for the elderly man and located him in the living room. At the same time, Mr. Buenrostro covered his face with a t-shirt, doused himself with water and ran back into the burning home. Deputy Rendon also went back inside after hearing Deputy Kneubuhler’s shouts that he found the victim. They then moved the injured man from the burning home and to the front lawn.

The victim suffered second and third degree burns to 90 percent of his body and succumbed to his injuries.

Mr. Eddie C. Esguerra

Mr. Alfonso Rios Rojas

Mr. Esguerra and Mr. Rojas were recognized for rendering aid to a deputy being viciously attacked by a suspect at the 7th Street and Metro Center Subway Station in Los Angeles on February 12, 2015. The suspect attempted to flee from the deputy by going up an escalator. Once the deputy caught up to him, the suspect intentionally pushed the deputy, which caused both of them to tumble about 25 feet down the upward moving escalator.

Once at the bottom of the escalator, the suspect continued to fight with the deputy. It was at this moment, that Mr. Esguerra and Mr. Rojas came to the aid of the deputy. They helped control the combative suspect and assisted the deputy in handcuffing him. During the fall, the deputy sustained a three –inch laceration to his left knee, requiring stitches.

Humanitarian Award

Ms. Elizabeth Ann Herring

Mr. Cory Mulvey

Mr. Ricardo Valenzuela

The above private citizens were recognized for rendering aid to a deputy who was assaulted at a Walmart shopping center parking lot on April 17, 2015. While seated in her vehicle preparing to begin her work shift, Ms. Herring heard loud yelling and saw a truck drift through the parking lot. She saw a woman fall out of the truck and land on the pavement. A male got out of the same truck and yelled at the woman. A deputy arrived and contacted the male. Ms. Herring saw the suspect exit his truck, turn quickly and attack the deputy. She got out of her vehicle and ran to assist. She saw the suspect gain control of the deputy with his forearm on the deputy’s throat. She tried to push the suspect off the deputy and yelled for him to stop.

At this point, Mr. Mulvey was about to enter the Walmart, when his wife pointed out the struggle and urged him to help the deputy. He ran and pushed the suspect off the deputy. He grabbed the suspect and turned him onto his stomach. Mr. Valenzuela saw the struggle as he loaded items into his vehicle and ran across the parking lot to assist the deputy. He helped Mr. Mulvey get the suspect off the deputy by holding his neck so the deputy could restrain the suspect. Mr. Mulvey and Mr. Valenzuela each help a suspect’s arm and the deputy handcuffed the suspect.

Mr. Daniel Leos

Mr. Leos was recognized for rendering aid to a deputy being viciously beaten by a suspect on February 4, 2015. Mr. Leos was driving and saw a deputy chasing a suspect. He used his vehicle to block the suspect’s path, allowing the deputy an opportunity to catch up to the suspect. The suspect then aggressively rushed and wildly kicked and punched the deputy. Mr. Leos saw the deputy struggling with the suspect. He then got out of his vehicle to help the deputy restrain the suspect. The deputy gained control of the suspect’s arms and handcuffed him without further incident.

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Jim McDonnell, Sheriff