On Monday, September 15, 2014,
Governor Jerry Brown awarded the
State's Medal of Valor
to 14 law enforcement officers.
The Governor's Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor Award
is the highest award for valor presented to public safety officers
by the State of California.
The recipients included two detectives and two deputies from the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department, three of whom were involved in the deadly shootout with cop killer Christopher Dorner last year.
(In uniform from left to right) San Bernardino County Sheriff's Detectives Larry Lopez & Justin Musella, Deputy Daniel Rosa (Dorner case) Deputy Arturo Ramirez (rescued victims from burning building)
Also awarded the Medal Of Valor were two police officers from the Santa Monica Police Department and a sergeant from Santa Monica College Police for putting an end to a shooting rampage last summer by shooting and killing the gunman.
(In uniform from left to right) Santa Monica Police Department Officers Robert Sparks & Jason Salas, Santa Monica College Police Sergeant Raymond Bottenfield
Five police officers and a sergeant from the Los Angeles Airport Police Department received the Medal of Valor as a result of their heroic actions during a shooting rampage at Los Angeles International Airport in November.
(In uniform from left to right) Los Angeles Airport Police Officers Daniel Yu, Raymond Woods, Brian Lopez, David Lalicker, Robert Pedregon, Robert Zouzounis)
Shasta County Sheriff's Office Correctional Officer John Zufall was awarded the Medal of Valor after risked his own life in to save a fellow diver in a lake.
Shasta County Sheriff's Office Correctional Officer John Zufall
And Deputy Arturo Ramirez with the San Bernardino Sheriff's Department was honored for running into a burning building to save an adult and four children. Deputy Ramirez entered the apartment two times before firefighters arrived.
San Bernardino County Sheriff's Deputy Arturo Ramirez
California Statewide Law Enforcement Association (CSLEA) President Alan Barcelona proudly served on the Medal of Valor Review Board. "Each and every one of these law enforcement officers deserves our praise, our thanks, and our respect," said Barcelona. "Brave and selfless, they put their own lives on the line protecting the public."