On December 18, the Sheriff of the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department, Scott Jones, recognized his employees for exemplary service in lines of work ranging from call dispatchers to jail control deputies to firearm instructors. There were 15 recognitions given, including one Life Saving Medal, eleven Letters of Commendation and three Unit Citations.
“These awards were given to honor exceptional people who do extraordinary things when put in extraordinary situations,” said Sheriff Scott Jones.
The Life Saving Medal was awarded to Louie Avila for the display of extraordinary efforts to protect and preserve someone’s life. Avila received the award after speaking for 45 minutes with a man considering suicide. Avila convinced him to agree to be rescued from the bridge he was standing on.
The 11 Letters of Commendation were awarded in recognition of exceptional service or action reflecting positively upon the Sheriff Department. The awards were given to a variety of recipients, including one officer who was recognized for using life-saving measures. A woman had fallen and hit her head at the Sacramento International Airport, resulting in the officer’s application of CPR and the use of an AED machine, which uses an electric shock to resuscitate a person’s heart. Lastly, the Unit Citation was awarded to employee groups who collectively engaged in a program or operations that exemplify an extraordinary quality or service.
At the end of the ceremony, Sheriff Scott Jones was surprised with his own award by Malik, a nine-year-old boy who was attacked by a pit bull in January of 2012 and sustained severe injuries that resulted in several surgeries over a short period of time. After Malik was released from the hospital, Sheriff Jones visited him and gave him a gold Sheriff’s star for his bravery and the boy wanted to publicly thank him.
Written By: Kaitlin Bane, Communication and Media Intern