Santa Ana Police Department recognizes staff for life-saving first aid, apprehending dangerous criminals, excellent service to the community

The Santa Ana Police Department celebrated the work of its sworn and professional staff at the 2025 Recognition & Awards Ceremony held Feb. 25 at the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana.

The ceremony highlighted the department’s outstanding performances throughout the year and recognized personnel who completed their probationary period.

“Policing is a hard profession,” said Santa Ana Police Chief Robert Rodriguez in his opening remarks. “It takes dedication, honor, courage and commitment. It takes resiliency. And a lot of times, a lot of the work goes unseen. Our strength in the department, it’s not in our building, not in our badge, it comes from the people.”

Awards were presented in a variety of categories:

CHIEF’S AWARD

A Chief’s Award was presented to members of the Santa Ana Police Department’s Directed Enforcement Team and the City’s Code Enforcement Team, which executed a major operation at the Sunshine Motel on East First Street.

The investigation culminated in a takedown of an organized prostitution and human trafficking network, resulting in the rescue of multiple victims, the arrest of numerous suspects, and the permanent closure of a long-standing criminal operation.

The operation was led by Officer Joshua Smith, with strategic leadership from Officer Adrian Martinez, and critical guidance from Corporal Justin Collins. Code Enforcement personnel included Jerry Navarro, Cesar Jimenez, Frank Cordova, and Yvette Portugual.

A Chief’s Award was also presented to Correctional Supervisor Pedro Jiron for his work with Supervisor Magdaleno Rodriguez and the FBI on a national, high-profile investigation.

Jiron served as the primary custody liaison, overseeing secure housing, ensuring interagency compliance, and safeguarding a federal cooperating witness. Jiron’s attention to detail, operational control and discretion were vital to the investigation’s success.

Dispatchers Lauren Vaughn and Jessica Garcia received the Chief’s Award for their handling of a 9-1-1 call involving a mother’s confession to the homicide of her 11-year-old son.  Their actions during this critical incident represented the highest level of emergency communications and teamwork.

Vaughn served as the lifeline on the phone, maintaining a calm, professional demeanor while navigating the confession, keeping the woman engaged and gathering vital information on the weapons. Simultaneously, Garcia managed the tactical response on the radio, coordinating emergency units with precision and speed, clearing a channel for critical traffic, and relaying prompt life-saving updates.

LIFE SAVING MEDALS

Officers Renald Galstian and Lorenzo Sanchez were presented with a Life Saving Medal for their actions on Feb. 22, 2025. Galstian and Sanchez responded to a stabbing call where they discovered a victim rapidly losing blood and losing consciousness from a serious wound. Galstian applied a tourniquet to a severed vain and performed other lifesaving actions while Sanchez monitored vital signs. An Orange County Fire Authority captain later confirmed that the victim’s survival was a direct result of the officers’ rapid and decisive first aid.

A Life Saving Medal was presented to Officers Gabriel Cardona and Nikko Valdenor for their actions on June 28, 2025. The officers responded to a stabbing in progress, where multiple victims were attacked inside an apartment complex. After the suspect was taken into custody, Cardona and Valdeno located two victims suffering from stab wounds at the top of a stairwell.

The officers rendered aid to both victims, successfully stopping the bleeding of one victim, who was seriously wounded, and rendered aid to the second victim. Medical staff later confirmed that the first victim was in critical condition and would have succumbed to his injuries without intervention.

A third Life Saving Medal was presented to Officers Francisco Rodriguez and Renald Galstian for their actions on August 28, 2025. The officers responded to a stabbing and found a female victim suffering from a life-threatening stab wound to her neck. Rodriguez and Galstian immediately initiated life-saving measures.

The two officers packed the wound and applied direct pressure while keeping the victim conscious until paramedics arrived. Medical staff later confirmed the victim had sustained a severed jugular vein and nerve, and without the officers’ immediate and decisive intervention, she would have bled out and died.

A few hours later, Officer Angela Vera observed the suspect attempting to board a bus that transports passengers to the border. Vera took the suspect into custody without incident. As a result of the coordinated response and collaborative teamwork, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office filed five felony counts against the suspect, including attempted murder, mayhem, and child abuse/endangerment.

UNIFORMED OFFICER OF THE YEAR

Officer Craig Cofer was named Uniformed Officer of the Year. Throughout 2025, Cofer was a driving force within the Directed Enforcement Team, where he handled community complaints, was proactive in crime suppression, provided City Council security, and participated in high-priority enforcement operations.

Cofer made a profound impact along the East First Street Corridor, where he led dozens of narcotics investigations targeting high-crime locations. His work resulted in significant narcotics seizures, including pounds of methamphetamine, fentanyl, and thousands of pills, and directly supported the City’s abatement efforts, creating real change for residents and businesses.

Cofer mentors fellow Directed Officers, leads complex warrant investigations, and works closely with the District Attorney’s Office. He also helped secure $1.1 million in federal funding to enhance enforcement presence at multiple apartment complexes.

TRAFFIC OFFICER OF THE YEAR

Corporal Saul Esquivel received the Traffic Officer of the Year title. One of three corporals in the Traffic Division, Esquivel remains highly productive in the field, having 20 DUI arrests, issuing 200 citations, and authoring 50 traffic collision reports in 2025.

As a field training officer, Esquivel mentors new officers with patience and expertise, prioritizing thorough traffic investigations and officer-safety techniques, especially at complex collision scenes. He also serves as a motor training instructor, leading monthly sessions. Esquivel also coordinates special events across the city, ensuring public safety while fostering positive interactions between officers and the community.

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

Officer Francisco Rodriguez received Rookie of the Year honors for 2025. While still early in his career, Rodriguez has shown remarkable skill, dedication, and initiative. He has taken on complex investigations and in-progress calls, thinking outside the box and stepping up whether he’s leading an investigation or supporting fellow officers. On patrol, Rodriguez mentors trainees and demonstrates leadership beyond his rank.

In 2025, Rodriguez handled numerous high-pressure situations with professionalism and calm decisiveness, ranging from safely apprehending a gang member to arresting a sexual assault suspect to rescuing an individual from a burning residence.

POLICE SERVICES DISPATCHER OF THE YEAR

Samantha Ortero was named the Police Services Dispatcher of the Year. Ortero excelled as a trainer, providing personalized, effective instruction to two new dispatchers.

She volunteered for numerous ancillary duties, including recruitment panels, processing DA audio requests, and speaking at community events, and had over 1,155 hours of training in 2025.

SERGEANT OF THE YEAR

Sergeant Andy Garcia leads by example every day, setting the tone with steady leadership, clear expectations, and a commitment to integrity.

Assigned to Field Operations, Garcia draws on his investigative and tactical experience, mentoring and guiding his officers through complex calls, reviewing tactics, while recognizing their hard work. His leadership was key in coordinating a focused enforcement operation that led to multiple arrests and disrupted ongoing criminal activity. Garcia builds trust in the community through listening, problem-solving, and neighborhood engagement.

CORPORAL OF THE YEAR

Corporal Moises Jimenez had an exceptional year as the department’s Field Training Officer (FTO) Coordinator, leading by example to shape the next generation of police officers.

Throughout 2025, Jimenez supervised all 28 field training officers, balancing his FTO responsibilities with broader supervisory duties. He tailored training plans to each trainee’s needs, maintained meticulous documentation, and ensured remedial training reinforced both fairness and operational excellence.

His leadership contributed to six pre-academy classes, six Academy class graduations, and 57 people being successfully trained.

RECORD SPECIALIST OF THE YEAR

Throughout her 25 years with the Department, Darlene Ornelas has consistently demonstrated professionalism, attention to detail, and dedication to public service while managing complex and time-sensitive assignments.

Ornelas has trained and mentored new Records employees, conducted classes for officers and sergeants, and participated in departmental recruiting and community engagement. She fosters a positive team culture, supports colleagues, and upholds the integrity and efficiency of the Police Records Unit.

COMMUNICATIONS SERVICES OFFICER OF THE YEAR

Communications Services Officer Rosemary Lopez plays a vital role in developing new trainee police services dispatchers and regularly steps in to assist with staffing shortages. Lopez often comes to work early, stays late, and works additional shifts as needed.

EXPLORER OF THE YEAR

Since joining the Explorer Program, Natalia Higareda has earned several promotions, currently serving as Sergeant. She mentors and guides new Explorers and competes in Explorer competitions. A senior at Rosary High School in Fullerton, Higareda excels academically with a 3.5 GPA and participates in multiple school clubs and volunteer activities.

CORRECTIONAL SUPERVISOR OF THE YEAR

Magdaleno Rodriguez has played a key role in maintaining compliance and operational integrity through close collaboration with the medical department and active participation in oversight processes. Additionally, Rodriguez’s service on the Jail Transport Unit and the California Gang Task Force have strengthened intelligence-sharing and reinforced the safety of the facility.

 CORRECTIONAL OFFICER OF THE YEAR

While assigned to Administrative Segregation, Kathleen Dunnuck’s vigilance led to the discovery of contraband drugs, directly improving institutional security. In her current role, Dunnuck conducts investigative interviews and makes fair, well-informed housing decisions that support stability and safety.

She also participates in additional training such as the California Gang Task Force meetings and sharing her knowledge with co-workers.

CORRECTIONAL RECORDS SPECIALIST

As a Lead Correctional Records Specialist, Melinda Mendoza has played a key role in scanning, uploading, and verifying files in RIMS while maintaining accuracy and data integrity within the Jail Management System.

Her attention to detail has led to key projects, including the development of the 2024 Santa Ana Jail Operational Productivity Data report and collaboration on procedures supporting required federal census data collection.

CADET OF THE YEAR

During his assignment to the Jail Bureau, Cadet Louis Guzman has consistently excelled with new responsibilities, demonstrating initiative, adaptability, and strong problem-solving skills.

He independently developed and implemented an effective strategy to digitize Jail Bureau files in alignment with both departmental and jail-specific records systems. Guzman routinely supports jail operations by staffing the lobby post, assisting with booking demands, and adjusting his schedule to help with monthly physical agility testing.