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| (L-R) Sgt. Joseph Perez, President of the Santa Ana Police Officers Association, Mayor Pro-tem, Claudia Alvarez and Chief Paul M. Walters. |
Santa Ana Police Department, City of Santa Ana and the Santa Ana Police Officers Association Honored with Multiple
Awards for Their Support of Guard and Reservists
Recently, the City of Santa Ana, the Santa Ana Police Department, the Santa Ana Police Officers Association and
Chief Paul M. Walters and Corporal Kevin DeDeaux of the Santa Ana Police Department were recognized and honored by
the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, a Department of Defense agency, for their outstanding support of the
many City employees serving in the Guard and Reserve.
The patriotic awards ceremony began with the presentation of Colors by the Santa Ana Police Department's Honor Guard.
Displayed at the front of the room were the service flags of the seven branches of the Guard and which represented the
Army National Guard, Army Reserve, Marine Corps Reserve, Navy Reserve, Air National Guard, Air Force Reserve and Coast
Guard Reserve. Each service flag was accompanied by Santa Ana Police Officers who serve in that particular branch of
the armed forces. As part of the Department of Defenses' recognition of Santa Ana, also in attendance were five flag
officers from the various branches of the Guard and Reserve.
Following several speeches from both City officials and ESGR and military dignitaries, Major General Gravett (Retired),
State Chair of the Southern California ESGR Committee and Cheryl DeNoi, the Awards Director, presented Corporal Kevin
DeDeaux the Seven Seals Award as Tom Lasser, the ESGR's Public Affairs Director read aloud the inscription of each award.
Corporal DeDeaux serves in many capacities in the Santa Ana Police Department, but was recognized today for his tireless
work on behalf of the officers who also serve in the Guard and Reserve. Corporal DeDeaux serves as their Military Liaison
Officer and he ensures that their transition from the department to their military life is seamless and that the families
of the deployed officers are supported throughout their deployment. Also receiving the Seven Seals Award was Sergeant
Joseph Perez, President of the Santa Ana Police Officers Association. Sergeant Perez was recognized for the teamwork he
and the association has displayed along with the City and the police department to ensure that all City employees serving
in the Guard and Reserve receive nothing but the best as far as their pay, benefits and services.
The Above and Beyond Award was the next award presented and it was created by ESGR to publicly recognize America's employers
who provide extraordinary patriotic support and cooperation to their employees, who like the citizen warriors before them, have
answered their Nation's call to serve. Two Above and Beyond Awards were presented, one to Chief Paul M. Walters of the Santa
Ana Police Department and the other to the City of Santa Ana. Chief Walters was recognized for his personal and professional
leadership and his exceptional support for his employees, both sworn and civilian, serving this great Nation of ours. Mayor
Pro Tem, Claudia Alvarez was on hand to accept the City's Above and Beyond Award as the City Manager, members of the City
Council and several other members of City government proudly looked on. The City of Santa Ana was recognized by the Employer
Support of the Guard and Reserve for its outstanding and prolonged support of the City's employees serving in the Guard and
Reserve. This support includes the continuation of City benefits, differential pay, and extraordinary personal attention to
ensure that their employees and the employees' families do not suffer unnecessarily for serving in the armed forces. Bottom
line, the jobs and benefits of employees of the City of Santa Ana are protected.
Chief Walters accepted The PRO PATRIA Award on behalf of the Santa Ana Police Department. The Pro Patria Award is the
ESGR's second highest award and each state committee is limited to presentations of only three per year, only one of which
goes to an employer in the public sector. It is presented to those employers who demonstrate exceptional support towards
our national defense by adopting personnel policies that make it easier for employees to participate in the National Guard
and Reserve. In addition to the awards presented during this impressive standing room only ceremony, the Santa Ana Police
Department is currently a finalist for the 2009 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award, the highest award
given to employers by the Department of Defense and the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve. Over 3000 employers
were nominated by their employees serving in the Guard and Reserve, but only 15 will be selected from across the Nation.
The 15 winners will be announced no later than the first of June and all of the recipients will be flown to Washington,
DC to be honored by the Department of Defense at a gala dinner on September 17, 2009 and each of the winners'
CEO/President/Chief will be invited for an audience with the President in the Oval Office at the White House as well as
a meeting with the Secretary of Defense at the Pentagon.
The presentation concluded with a group signing of Statements of Support by Mayor Pro-Tem, Claudia Alvarez, Chief Paul M.
Walters, Sergeant Perez and numerous other city officials. A Statement of Support is a symbolic document that publicly states
an individual or an entities patriotic support of their employees serving in the Guard and Reserve and they will comply with the
Federal law, Uniformed Services Employment and Re-Employment Rights Act (USERRA). The City of Santa Ana has not only followed
this important law but have gone "above and beyond" in their support for their "citizen warriors", serving
in the Guard and Reservists who work for the City of Santa Ana…and for that, we salute you!
