YPD names Employees of Year
The Yuma Police Department’s Officer of the Year for 2017 is an officer whose commitment to excellence sets the standards for effective police work, and makes him a role model to the entire department, according to his nomination form.
Officer Esmundo Tejeda, a 24-year member of the force, has been recognized for his thorough investigative skills, positive attitude, outstanding work ethic and dedication to duty, all of which have contributed to the overall success of the squad, the patrol division and the department.
As a result, his peers at the Yuma Police Department selected him for the prestigious annual honor, which he received during an awards ceremony held on Saturday, March 31, at the Yuma Civic Center, 1440 W. Desert Hills Drive.
“It is an honor,” Tejeda said. “It is nice to be recog- nized, especially when it is by your peers.”
Various Yuma Police Department employees, civilian and sworn, were also awarded for their hard work and dedication. The awards presented included Medal of Merit, Specialty Service, Administrative Excellence, Superior Service, Unit Citation and Community Service Awards.
“I am extremely proud of the accomplishments of these five employees and for the dedication they have shown to the Yuma Police Department and the city of Yuma,” Police Chief John Lekan said. “They each have gone above and beyond, making them stand out in their areas within the department and are worthy of recognition.” American Legion Post 19, 2575 S Virginia Dr, has also selected Tejeda as Officer of the Year for 2017. He will be bestowed with that honor later this month, on April 17 at a ceremony.
In addition to being a patrol officer, Tejeda has also worked as a narcotics officer, a gang officer, and a homicide/violent crimes detective. He is currently assigned to the day shift working 10-hour shifts Monday through Thursday.
“It is pretty exciting, no matter how long you have done the job, every day is different, especially on patrol,” Tejeda said. “You will always see something different, good or bad.”
Last year Tejeda conducted multiple felony investigations and apprehended more than 75 suspects wanted for violent crimes or had felony warrants out for their arrests, some of which ended in foot pursuits.
While catching bad guys is his job, Tejeda said he couldn’t have done it without the help he has received from the community, praising them as his “unsung heroes.”
“It’s not just me,” Tejeda said. “A lot of the people who help will not get any recognition, the victim will never be able to hug them or shake their hand, because they are people who risk harm to provide me with information.”
He went on to say that some of those individuals who pass him information are people who themselves have had problems in the past, but still want to help the community.
James Gilbert can be reached at jgilbert@yumasun.com or 5396854. Find him on Facebook at www. Facebook.com/YSJamesGilbert or on Twitter @YSJamesGilbert.