Costa Mesa Police Department honors top employees and volunteers
The Costa Mesa Police Department honored top employees and volunteers during a recognition breakfast last week.
Awards honoring 2016 employees of the year, the top case of the year and personnel who provided lifesaving resuscitation were given during the April 6 ceremony at The Crossing Church.
“The men and women of the Costa Mesa Police Department make every effort to perform their duties in a competent, courteous and professional manner,” Police Chief Rob Sharpnack said at the event.
The annual breakfast, he added, is intended to recognize personnel, “as voted on by their peers, for their exemplary performance and service to our community.”
“Frequently, many of our department members exceed the expectations of the public in the performance of their duties,” he said.
City leaders including Mayor Katrina Foley, City Manager Tom Hatch and Assistant City Managers Tammy Letourneau and Rick Francis also attended.
Honorees included Det. Jose Morales as Officer of the Year, Sgt. Jerry Souza as Sworn Supervisor of the Year, park ranger Lorna Lyttle as Civilian of the Year, records supervisor Lidian Estecoc as Civilian Supervisor of the Year, Citlaly Gomez as Explorer of the Year and William “Bill” Knowles as Volunteer of the Year.
The Case of the Year award went to the team that investigated the killing of Sunny Sudweeks, a 26-year-old photography student who was raped and strangled in her Costa Mesa apartment in 1997. Earlier this year, the Police Department identified Felipe Vianney Hernandez Tellez as a suspect in the cold case.
Department employees honored for their work on the case included Morales, Lt. Paul Beckman, Sgt. Stephanie Selinske, Det. Jason Chamness, crime scene investigator Kimberlee Guluzian, crime scene specialist Sara Nguyen and police aide Nicole Diaz.
Officers John Elliott, Jeremy Hermes, Glorosio Manigbas, Tyrus Ranck, Erick Ransdell and Jared Shurley received awards for providing lifesaving resuscitation.
The department also honored the South Coast Metro Alliance as a community partner.
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