Behind the Badge
Navigating hundreds of emergency calls after an earthquake, saving a woman’s life and successfully intervening in a local man’s attempted suicide were among the valiant interactions with the community La Habra Police recognized on a recent Thursday.
The department on May 21 held its annual awards ceremony to honor those who showed exemplary service last year.
La Habra Police Chief Jerry Price addresses those gathered for the La Habra Police Department Awards & Commendations Ceremony.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge OC
Awards included four citations from Police Chief Jerry Price to honor distinguished service in the line of duty, two life saving medals and several career service medals to recognize those with 20 or more years of law enforcement service.
The Osornio Award was also presented to recognize the patrol officer with the most drunken driving arrests in 2014.
The award was named after Officer Michael Osornio, who was killed in the line of duty on Oct. 31, 1994 when his patrol car was broadsided by a drunken driver.
Osornio is the only officer in the department’s history to be killed in the line of duty. The award looks to honor his memory.
This year’s LHPD award recipients are:
Osornio Award: Officer Jason Sanchez
Officer Jason Sanchez receives a hug as he is awarded the 2014 Osornio Award for “Excellence in Drunk Driver Detection and Apprehension” during the La Habra Police Department Awards & Commendations Ceremony.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge OC
Lifesaving Medal: Officer Jennifer Southern and Officer Mucio Sanchez
At about 11:30 a.m. Oct. 30, 2014, Southern and Sanchez responded to reports of a female not breathing in the 700 block of Rye Avenue.
When officers arrived, they determined the woman was possibly suffering from an unknown medical condition.
The officers traded off performing CPR until paramedics arrived.
The woman was taken to a local hospital. She survived and was in stable condition later that day.
Officer Mucio Sanchez receives the Lifesaving Medal from La Habra Police Chief Jerry Price during the La Habra Police Department Awards & Commendations Ceremony.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge OC
Lifesaving Medal: Cpl. Victor Rubalcava, Officer Phil Principe and Officer Travis Nelson
Police at about 8 a.m. Feb. 15, 2015 responded to reports of a man not breathing in the 1000 block of W. Lambert Avenue.
When officers arrived, they learned an elderly man fell and was unresponsive.
Rubalcava and Principe started CPR while Nelson fetched an AED. Nelson delivered several shocks and was able to detect a pulse.
The officers continued life-saving measures until paramedics arrived.
The elderly man was taken to a local hospital where he was treated and later released. The man is continuing his recovery at home.
Cpl. Victor Rubalcava receives the Lifesaving Medal during the La Habra Police Department Awards & Commendations Ceremony.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge OC
Officer Travis Nelson receives the Lifesaving Medal from La Habra Police Chief Jerry Price during the La Habra Police Department Awards & Commendations Ceremony.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge OC
Officer Phil Principe receives the Lifesaving Medal from La Habra Police Chief Jerry Price during the La Habra Police Department Awards & Commendations Ceremony.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge OC
Chief’s Citation: Communications Supervisor Cynthia Gulley, Lead Communications Operator Brian McClure, Communications Operator Jennifer Romo-Andrade and Communications Operator Christina Argott
When a 5.1 magnitude earthquake hit just one mile east of the city, hundreds of calls flooded the police department.
Reports of blacked-out intersections, gas leaks, water main breaks and structure damage poured in to the LHPD’s Communications Center and the team flawlessly managed the emergency.
From 8 p.m. to midnight, the Communications Center handled 839 calls. Argott, who was off-duty at the time, reported to the center on her own time to help.
The department also took on the call load from neighboring Brea PD, which was evacuated after the earthquake hit.
Seismologists later reported there was a sequence of 38 earthquakes that hit the area over two hours.
Chief’s Citation: Communications Operator Cathy Gonzalez
A 51-year-old man who called police to say he had a shotgun in his mouth and was ready to die, was successfully talked down by Gonzalez.
The call came in at about 3:30 a.m. May 16, 2014 and Gonzalez stayed on the phone with the obviously distraught man for more than 20 minutes.
The man told Gonzalez she had one chance to stop him from pulling the trigger.
She stayed calm and continued to talk with him until eventually the man exited his home unarmed, where police detained him.
The man was taken to St. Jude Medical Center for evaluation.
Communications Operator Cathy Gonzalez receives the Chief’s Citation from La Habra Police Chief Jerry Price during the La Habra Police Department Awards & Commendations Ceremony.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge OC
Chief’s Citation: Communications Operator Christina Argott
After a man called La Habra PD to report his friend was posting on Facebook about ending his life, Argott successfully intervened.
The call came in on Sept. 24, 2014 from a concerned friend living in Colorado.
With only a Facebook page and a cell phone to go on, Argott worked to track down the local suicidal man.
After several attempts to call the man, he finally answered and told Argott he had taken several pills and did not want to live anymore.
Argott stayed on the phone with the man until he finally revealed his location. She sent officers to the scene and they were able to convince the man to get help at a local hospital.
Communications Operator Christina Argott receives the Chief’s Citation from La Habra Police Chief Jerry Price during the La Habra Police Department Awards & Commendations Ceremony.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge OC
Chief’s Citation: Officer Nick Wilson
A suspect wanted for vandalizing several North Orange County neighborhoods with a pellet gun was tracked down and arrested by Wilson.
Police at about 11 p.m. Feb. 25, 2015 received a report of shots fired in the 800 block of La Habra Boulevard
Police determined a pellet gun had been used to vandalize the area along with several other vehicles and businesses in the city.
Wilson patrolled the area and located a suspicious vehicle. When the driver of that vehicle turned off his headlights in an attempt to go unnoticed, Wilson caught up to the driver and pulled him over.
Wilson arrested two suspects who later admitted to vandalizing areas of Fullerton, La Habra and Anaheim with a pellet gun.
Officer Nick Wilson receives the Chief’s Citation from La Habra Police Chief Jerry Price during the La Habra Police Department Awards & Commendations Ceremony.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge OC
20 Years of Service: Sgt. Clint Angle, Lt. Jason Forgash, Animal Control Officer Ian Daugherty, Cpl. Paul McPhillips, Community Service Officer II Christina Nunez and Reserve Officer Rob Sims
Animal Control Officer Ian Daugherty receives a Career Service Medal for 20 years of Service from La Habra Police Chief Jerry Price during the La Habra Police Department Awards & Commendations Ceremony.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge OC
Cpl. Paul McPhillips receives a Career Service Medal for 20 years of Service from La Habra Police Chief Jerry Price during the La Habra Police Department Awards & Commendations Ceremony.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge OC
Community Service Officer Christina Nuñez receives a Career Service Medal for 20 years of Service from La Habra Police Chief Jerry Price during the La Habra Police Department Awards & Commendations Ceremony.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge OC
25 Years of Service: Officer Phil Principe
Officer Phil Principe receives a Career Service Medal for 25 years of Service from La Habra Police Chief Jerry Price during the La Habra Police Department Awards & Commendations Ceremony.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge OC
30 Years of Service: Records Specialist Barbara Romero
35 Years of Service: Records Specialist Diane Villalobos
Six-year-old Samuel Principe sits in his dad’s lap, Officer Phil Principe, during La Habra PD’s Awards & Commendations Ceremony. Samuel’s father was present to receive the Lifesaving Medal and Career Service Medal for 25 years.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge OC
The La Habra Police Honor Guard presents the colors during La Habra PD’s Awards & Commendations Ceremony at the La Habra Community Center.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge OC
Marleena Barber sings the national anthem during La Habra PD’s Awards & Commendations Ceremony at the La Habra Community Center.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge OC
