The City of Cypress held its 6th annual Police Appreciation Luncheon Tuesday, May 17, at the Community Center.
“It’s an honor and privilege to be here today and share a little about the Cypress Police Department,” said Police Chief Rod Cox. “I get to brag about the exceptional work the women and men of the Cypress Police Department do day-in-and-day-out and I’m blessed with the tremendous opportunity and responsibility to lead this great organization and whole-heartedly believe our public safety team is one of the best in the state,” he said.
The Chief went on to praise he City Council and City Manager for their support of public safety and the men and women who protect the city. “The men and women of the Cypress Police Department have an incredible responsibility to keep Cypress a safe community to live, work and play in, and being able to recognize a few of the police people who do this on a daily basis is truly an honor,” he said, thanking the Police Foundation for hosting the luncheon.
“Your efforts are deeply appreciated.”
Those honored included Ryan Scott Brown and Ivan Reyes-Acosta with Good Samaritan Awards; the 2015 Citizen of the Year Award was presented to Melody Bell-Hiller and Police Officer Ismael Lassalle earned the Silver Distinguished Service Award. Volunteer of the Year Award for 2015 was RACES/CERT member Loree Erpelding; Police Services Officer Christen Bartlett was acknowledged as the 2015 Employee of the Year and Officer of the Year for 2015 was Police Officer James Brewer.
There is so much good that can be said about each of this year’s honoree’s, included below are just a few of each of their accomplishments. Brown was recognized for his example of outstanding citizenship to the community; the information provided by Brown led the Police Department to identify and arrest a bank robbery suspect and his accomplice.
One evening, resident Brenan Cheung was at Cedar Glen Park near the Cypress Boys and Girls Club when he collapsed. Boys and Girls Staff member Reyes-Acosta began CPR while other staff members called 911. Thanks to the quick response of the staff members, including Reyes-Acosta, not only did Cheung survive what was considered a serious health issue, he’s now doing well and living an active life.
He was at the luncheon to thank Reyes-Acosta. Bell-Hiller was recognized for creating and administering the Cypress Crime Watch and Cypress Community Facebook pages started last year. She monitors conversations removing any negative comments on what now has 6,300 registered members. Lassalle responded to a family dispute report, where the caller said her brother was at their home threatening to kill the family, while holding his mother down and threatening her with a knife.
After talking with the man, Lassalle was able to convince him to drop the gun, which turned out to be a replica gun and six other replica guns were also found. The man was taken to a hospital for evaluation and treatment. The Cypress Police Department and the neighboring police agencies, established the West County Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) in 2009 and one of the first volunteer members was Erpelding.
She is credited with immediately taking a leadership role as the Logistics Section Chief and co-founded the Organized Communities Emergency Volunteers Association, which provides emergency services supplies and training for under-served, low income communities. She was also acknowledge for her service to Neighbor-4Neighbor and RACES, being instrumental in establishing policies and procedures for RACES. Bartlett was assigned to the Property and Evidence Unit in 2012, where she plays an integral role in proper storage and legal release of property and evidence; she is a member of the California Association of Property and Evidence and earned the title of Certified Property and Evidence Specialist by the International Association for Property and Evidence.
Brewer currently serves as the Department’s Training Officer and is a member of West County S.W.A.T. and the Volunteers in Policing and Chaplain program coordinator. He received the Medal of Valor from the California State Fire Fighters Association and the Cypress Police Department’s Gold Distinguished Service Medal for his heroic rescue of an elderly woman from her fully-engulfed residence.
He was awarded Employee of the 2010 Quarter for conducting detailed residential burglary investigations and one such investigation resulted in the arrest of a substantial partner in a property crime ring that targeted a retail chain throughout Southern California. The event was presented by the Cypress Police Foundation and sponsored by Forest Lawn Memorial Parks and Mortuaries.