Years of service:

Education/training: I have an associate’s degree from Glendale Community College and I’m working on a Bachelor’s degree from Grand Canyon University.

Career highlights: I’ve had many moments with the City of Glendale, but one of the most memorable was first getting my promotion to Sergeant. I was proud I had achieved the promotion through hard work. And, I was eager to become a leader to train officers and share my experience and to serve our Department and the citizens of Glendale better. Another was earning the Medal of Valor for saving the life of a citizen. Also, I completed 20 years of service to the United States Naval Reserve.

Valuable learning experience: Being a police officer requires so much work on so many different levels. I have learned to always be a student. What I mean by that is an eagerness to learn new things to improve yourself as a person in your career but also in your character. People make mistakes and it’s important to learn from them in order to make better decisions and also help those around you do the same.

Why did you decide to pursue this career? As a kid, I was always intrigued about police work. I have always been a person who had the call to serve. I joined the military at a young age and I like the structure and the service to my country. When I was released from active duty, my uncle, who is a Lieutenant with the Glendale Police Department, mentored me and helped me become a police officer. I have been fortunate to have spent time in a wide variety of positions within the Department where I continue my service to my community.

Final word: Education is important and my advice to anyone wanting to pursue a career in serving the community is never stopping learning. Serving comes with sacrifices and a great deal of responsibility and, the better you are as a person, the better you will serve those who need you.

How do you balance your career and personal life? I have a great and supportive family. They have made sacrifices for my service, so I make it a point to put the same amount of effort into my family relationships as I do in my career. My kids are my highest priority and I spend as much time with them as I can. 

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Years of service:

Education/training: Bachelor’s Degree in Criminology; Master’s Degree in Education

Career highlights: I graduated from the Phoenix Regional Police Academy in 1997 and worked as a patrol officer for two years. Following my time in patrol, I was selected as the first female Public Housing Officer for the Glendale Police Department. In 2001, I was assigned to the Special Enforcement Unit, an undercover stolen property and narcotics unit, and was recognized with the Detective of the Year award in 2003 for my work in this unit. In 2004, the Special Enforcement Unit received the Unit of the Year award for the amount of undercover investigations and narcotics seized. In 2006, I transferred to the Fraud Investigation Unit and then moved again to the Violent Crimes Unit in 2007. I was the first female detective assigned to the Homicide Unit. Most recently, I joined the Personnel Management Unit as a Recruiter/Background Investigator in 2011.

On the job/ valuable learning experience: Through my experiences in many different assignments, I have learned to treat the citizens of Glendale with respect and compassion. Police officers typically come in contact with citizens when they are in need and sometimes it’s the worst time in their lives. I have learned to empathize with people and treat them as I would want to be treated.

Why did you decide to pursue this career? My father was a Marine and served in the Vietnam War. He was my hero and I wanted to follow in his footsteps. I chose to become a police officer to make my parents proud.

How do you balance your career and personal life? I have spent the majority of my career working in Investigation Units where calls out and long hours are routine. To keep balance in my life, I remind myself that my family is the most important thing in my life. I take an active part in their lives and make sure I am always there for them. Having a strong, balanced family life tends to make you have a strong, balanced career.

Final word: Law enforcement is a very rewarding career and I couldn’t see myself doing anything else, except for being a stay-at-home mom. As a recruiter, I get the opportunity to be a role model for women who are considering a career in law enforcement. Many people have the misconception that you need to be the biggest and the strongest person to be a police officer. That’s not true. You do have to be mentally and physically fit and be prepared for what you may encounter on the streets. For those who genuinely want to help people and make a difference in their lives, a career in law enforcement provides that opportunity. My role with the Glendale Police Department allows me to guide people looking at this career and help them to realize their dreams. 

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Years of service:

Education/training: Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Organizational Management; currently pursuing an Ed.D. degree in Organizational Leadership

Career highlights: Promoted to sergeant in 1992; promoted to lieutenant in 1996; served as the Arizona representative for the National Center for Women and Policing, 1997–1998; participant in the Hispanic Leadership Institute, Arizona State University, 1999; completed the Administrative Officer’s Course at the Southern Police Institute, at the University of Louisville in 2003; received the City of Glendale Ethic’s Program Award in 1999.

On the job/ valuable learning experience: I learn something every day during my interactions with the fine women and men of the Glendale Police Department and the citizens of Glendale. I started my career in communications and I’ve worked in a variety of positions throughout the Department. I have come to recognize that everyone has something to share and we can all learn from each other. I’ve had the opportunity to attend formal leadership training, both locally and through a three-month course in Kentucky, and I try to apply those guiding principles in leadership and be a role model to the next generation of women and men in law enforcement. I enjoy being able to share what I’ve learned over the years, both with the women and men of the Police Department and as an adjunct faculty member at Glendale Community College.   

How do you balance your career and personal life: I believe, and stress to the women and men I work with, that family is the foundation for everything else, and that it is important to strive every day toward maintaining a balance. I am blessed with seven grandchildren that keep me centered! I also enjoy activities such as hiking, swimming and reading non-fiction books in my spare time, which is quite limited since I decided to return to school and pursue my doctoral degree.

Why did you decide to pursue this career? Coming from a family background of law enforcement (my father is retired DPS), I have always been interested in policing and the challenges that this occupation presents on a daily basis.  

Advice to others considering serving our community: Working with citizens within my community is very rewarding and has helped my personal and professional growth. It’s a wonderful chance to learn how to motivate others in a positive way, become a leader and give back to the community and feel good about it!

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Fidencio Rivera, U.S. Marshals Service-Arizona District

Title: Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal

Years of service: 22 years

Education/ training: I received a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Arizona, a M.Ed. in Counseling with an emphasis in Human Relations from Northern Arizona University, and a M.A. in Management from Webster University.

Career highlights: My position involves daily interaction with the federal judiciary, supporting Deputy U.S. Marshals who apprehend violent fugitives and sexual predators, and interacting with the community. I am also helping to shape the future of the U.S. Marshals Service.

On the job/ valuable learning experience: The importance of treating others with respect.

Why did you decide to pursue this career? My original goal was to work with young at-risk individuals (perhaps as a juvenile probation officer), but the opportunity to serve with the U.S. Marshals Service emerged while I was still going through college. I have never looked back.

Advice to others considering serving our community: I would tell them to seek a profession in which they are passionate, and do it to the best of their ability.

Chief Deputy Rivera received the U.S. Marshals Director’s Honorary Award for Meritorious Service in 2010 for superior performance over a long career.

The U.S. Marshal Service is the nation’s oldest law enforcement agency. In 1789, George Washington appointed the first 13 U.S. marshals. It wasn’t until 1870 that the U.S. Congress gave the newly created Department of Justice supervision over the U.S. Marshals Service.

While the Arizona District of the U.S. Marshals Service did not become official until statehood was conferred in 1912, the first U.S. Marshals’ office was established in Phoenix in 1863. The Earp brothers, most famous for their heroic performance at Tombstone’s OK Corral in 1881, are exemplars of the early style of law enforcement practiced by U.S. marshals. While many things have changed since the “Wild West” days, the duties of U.S. marshals are still the most wide-ranging among all the law enforcement agencies. Entry into the Service is highly competitive and less than 5 percent of qualified applicants are accepted.

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Campoy’s contribution to law enforcement – relaying critical info quickly and accurately

Years of service: I have been in law enforcement for 10 years and have spent the last five and a half years at the Arizona Department of Public Safety. I have also been serving as the Recording Secretary of the Arizona Highway Patrol Association (AHPA), and a civilian representative for six years.

Career highlights: I feel rewarded every day being able to help people, especially the Spanish-speaking community. There are many instances where the public needs assistance, but have trouble conveying their needs due to a language barrier. One 911 call has stuck in my memory. A Mexican woman was looking for a family member, about whom she had received troubling information here in the United States. Due to the language barrier, she found it difficult to obtain much information, and she was eventually transferred to our agency. I was able to determine her needs and got her the help and information that she desired. Although this incident was handled by another agency due to the location, I continued to assist with the translation until a Spanish-speaker from another police department was able to take over and advise her further. With Arizona bordering Mexico, there is a great need for those who are bilingual to offer emergency assistance.

Inherent dangers you face: I am not on the road, however, I do face dangers indirectly. I am entrusted to protect the public – including police officers. When officers encounter a hazardous situation, I face it with them. During frightening moments, like critical police incidents, tensions and adrenaline are high and it becomes more of a challenge to get all the information that is needed. Once, I had an officer come on the air to advise that he’d been shot at. His life was essentially in my hands, because I was the one who could send him the assistance he needed. I dispatched help, and I was happy that the officer and other co-workers went home to their families at the end of the day. I care about the people with whom I work, but dispatchers have to put emotions aside for all 911 calls when people’s lives are on the line.

Proudest moment: My proudest moment was seeing an officer, who was involved in a shooting, come into the radio room safe and sound with the assailant in custody. I was a part of a team that made sure our agency did not lose an officer and put the bad guy behind bars.

On the job/valuable learning experience: Patience is something you learn as a 911 dispatcher.

Why did you decide to pursue this career? I have always admired those who choose a career in law enforcement. Although I did not want to be a sworn officer on the road, I could still help people by dispatching.

Next professional goal:I am considering being a dispatch trainer and possibly move up to be a supervisor.

Advice to others considering your profession: There are many ways to contribute to our community through law enforcement without having to be asworn officer. Whether serving as a sworn officer or civilian, police work is an honorable and fulfilling career.

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Major General Salazar assumed the duties of the Adjutant General of the Arizona National Guard on December 16, 2008. He serves concurrently as the Director of the Arizona Department of Emergency and Military Affairs (DEMA), which consists of the Army and the Air National Guard, the Division of Emergency Management, and the Joint Programs Division. DEMA provides unique capabilities and services to the citizens of Arizona at three distinct levels: community, state and federal. 

This assignment follows two years as the Assistant Adjutant General and full-time director of the Arizona Army National Guard, and one year as Deputy Chief of Staff of Operations for the Joint Force Headquarters.

As Adjutant General, his duties and responsibilities include managing the day-to-day activities of Arizona’s Army National Guard and Air National Guard, the Joint Programs and the Emergency Management Division. These organizations consist of over 2,400 full-time federal, military and civilian personnel, along with 600 state employees, and a total of more than 8,000 soldiers and airmen. 

Major General Salazar has worked full-time for the Arizona National Guard for almost two decades.

 He received a Bachelor’s of Science in Business Administration from Indiana University and attended the Inter-American Defense College at Fort McNair, Washington, D.C. 

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First row, left to right: Adam M. Tellez, crime prevention specialist and crises negotiator, Goodyear Police Department; Captain Patrick Camuñez, Arizona Army National Guard. Second row: Edward Muñoz, former chief of police, San Luis Police Department; Daniel Rincon, police sergeant, Scottsdale Police Department; Diana Tapia-Williams, detective, Mesa Police Department. Third row: Tom Ryff, chief of police, Tempe Police Department; Monica Abril Aragon, Aviation Resource Management Craftsman, Arizona Air National Guard; Daniel V. Garcia, chief of police, Phoenix Police Department. Fourth row: Jimmy Chavez, sergeant, Arizona Department of Public Safety; Roberto Villaseñor, chief of police, Tucson Police Department.

Latino Perspectives Magazine, the Raul H. Castro Institute at Phoenix College and Salt River Project (SRP) are proud to present the Fifth Annual Salute Honoring Those Who Serve on November 29, 2012, at the Renaissance Hotel in downtown Phoenix. We will pay tribute to the brave men and women who serve our country and our communities and whose profiles we have shared with our readers over the past year. 

Learn more about these everyday heroes here.

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Phoenix Police Chief Garcia, courtesy of Phoenix Police Department

Years of service: 34 

Career highlights: Runner-up for Rookie of the Year (1978), Dallas Police Department; appointed Deputy Chief in Dallas in 1993; appointed Assistant Chief of Police in Dallas in 2004; appointed Chief of Police for Phoenix in May, 2012

Duties: Phoenix is the fifth largest city in the U.S. with a population of 1.4 million. As Chief of Police, I oversee the work of 3,048 officers and around 1,500 civilians, as well as an operating budget of $543 million.

Inherent dangers you face: Policing is rewarding, but involves dangerous encounters with criminals. Every day.I worry about the men and women who serve Phoenix and pray for their safety.

Proudest moment: I am very proud to have been chosen Phoenix’ Chief of Police. With this appointment, I reached a personal goal of being the chief of police in a major city and leader of a great law enforcement agency. It is an honor to lead the Phoenix Police Department.

Valuable learning experience: As a young man, I was a member of my junior high school’s marching band and had to audition for lead trumpet player on a weekly basis. I hated the auditions and the constant pressure of weekly accountability. Today my favorite saying is: “Every day’s an audition; things change.” I have now come to appreciate and understand the value of the challenges I faced as a young man and how they prepared me for facing bigger challenges in life.

Why did you decide to pursue this career? I chose law enforcement because I have always believed in protecting those who need help protecting themselves. I believe in “justice for all.” These words, recited daily in pledging allegiance to our country, have stayed with me from childhood and still guide me in planning for crime suppression in our communities.

Next Professional Goal: I want the Phoenix Police Department to be recognized across the country as the best law enforcement agency in the U.S.

Final word: I believe that those considering the law enforcement profession need to recognize the following five principles of “Policing with a Purpose”:  Ensuring and nurturing democracy; justice; spirit of service; fundamental fairness;  and protecting others from harm. Furthermore, I believe that dignity and respect are the ethical foundations of law enforcement. The nobility of policing demands that, if you are going to be part of the profession, you have to be able to live up to the highest standards of conduct and accountability.  

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Years of service:

Career highlights: Selected as Officer of the Year in 1996; awarded three Medals of Merit and a Distinguished Service Medal over the course of my career.

Proudest moment: Actually a tie between when I was first awarded my badge, and the day I was sworn in as Chief of Police. On both occasions my family was there to watch, which is significant because I would not have been able to achieve either goal without their support.

On the job/valuable learning experience: Law enforcement is such a diverse profession. With the lows of dealing with some of the worst in society also come the highs and satisfaction of helping members of the community and knowing that you have made a difference in someone’s life.

Why did you decide to pursue this career? Coming from a sports background in high school, I was attracted to the atmosphere of teamwork and personal challenge that the career offered. I have worked with some of the greatest people I have ever known and have not once regretted my career choice.

Final word (advice to others considering serving our community): Never limit yourself or others on what you can accomplish. Even at the worst moments, you have to believe that one person stepping forward truly can make a difference and improve their community. Choose to be that person.

Chief Villaseñor was born in Tucson, Arizona. He joined the Tucson Police Department in 1980. He was promoted to assistant chief in 2000, and to chief of police in 2009. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Park University and a Master’s degree in Counseling/Human Resources from Northern Arizona University.

His experience in law enforcement includes commanding the Investigative Services Bureau, the Administrative Services Bureau, the Field Services Bureau and the Support Services Bureau. 

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Photo courtesy of Goodyear Police Department

Years of service: 11 years with Goodyear; 5 years with Maricopa County

Career highlights: Received the Department’s highest honor, the Medal of Valor, for saving the lives of two citizens still in their home while it was engulfed in flames.

Inherent dangers you face: Personal injury and/or death when dealing with person(s) of unknown history and background – whether they are fugitives from justice or wanted for some yet undetected, heinous crime. There is constant danger of being struck by an impaired driver while investigating vehicular accidents or issuing traffic citations.

Proudest moment: Along with the birth of my two sons, the day I graduated from the police academy. Having struggled with physical challenges most of my life, I faced huge obstacles during the rigorous training of the modern police academy. The encouragement, love and support of my family helped me to overcome those challenges. At my graduation, the family and friends who supported me clapped and cheered with pride when I received my badge on stage. It was a tremendously emotional experience that I will never forget.

Funny anecdote: One night early on in my career, my partner and I were dispatched to check on a home burglary in a remote area. We approached the scene cautiously looking for movement or signs of forced entry. At the back of the home, we discovered a door swinging open in the wind. We then believed that there might actually be a burglar still inside. After quietly searching the entire first floor, we switched our focus to the basement. The house was pitch black, and the wind outside was blowing hard. Slowly, I commenced my descent down the stairs with my partner close behind. At the bottom, we stood shoulder to shoulder and scanned the large room with our flashlights. Just then, a strong gust of wind slammed the door above us shut. We braced ourselves for what might come next. I re-positioned my flashlight and noticed that I was face-to-face with a very large gray wolf, its fangs displayed in a terrifying manner. The homeowner obviously had the animal stuffed and mounted as a hunting trophy. I was less than a second from pulling the trigger and dispatching the beast when I realized what it was. My partner laughing hysterically, said between gasps for air, “Don’t worry, Tellez, I don’t think it’ll bite you.” 

Why did you decide to pursue this career? Being the last child of an extremely large family, I had the benefit of listening to all of the exciting stories of my older siblings who were already into their law enforcement careers. I knew that I wanted to follow in their footsteps and become a police officer as well. The excitement of chasing and capturing fleeing offenders seemed very rewarding and thrilling, as well as the enjoyment and relief from reuniting a lost child with his mother.

Next professional goal: Becoming a supervisor within my department. As a supervisor I would encourage my subordinates to adopt my philosophy of positive contacts and interactions with our youth. 

Final word: Many good friends in my law enforcement family were taken away before their time, but I know that none of them would have any regrets for doing the job that they loved. “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13).

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