Fallen PSPD officers to be honored at state and national level
Two fallen heroes will be honored at the state and national level nearly seven months after their deaths.
People have continued to stop by the Palm Springs Police Department over the months to leave flowers and other momentos outside. Later this month, members of the Palm Springs PD, as well as the families of fallen officers Lesley Zerebny and Jose Gilbert “Gil” Vega, will head to Sacramento and then on to Washington, D.C. for memorial ceremonies.
News Channel 3 & CBS Local 2’s Katie Widner spoke with members of the PSPD before they depart on Saturday morning.
“I took it very hard when the incident happened because I was very close to Gil, aside from just working with him the last 16 years,” said Sgt. Mike Villegas, who will be accompanying Vega’s family to the events.
Sgt. Villegas is now the family liaison for the man he called a close friend and mentor. It’s a role he says he never imagined taking on, but has aided in the healing process.
“It’s definitely helped me personally with the grieving and the loss to ensure that his wife and Vanessa will be taken care of for the rest of their lives,” he said.
On Saturday, Sgt. Villegas will accompany Vega’s wife Suzanna and youngest daughter Vanessa in a caravan headed north to the state’s capitol for the California Peace Officers’ Memorial Ceremony. After that, they will fly to Washington, D.C. for the National Police Officer’s Memorial.
Lesley Zerebny’s family will also be attendance at both events, alongside roughly two-dozen PSPD officers.
“It’s going to show the families that the support from the law enforcement community is going to be tremendous, and they’re going to see that because they’ll have officers not only from around the nation, but the world that will honor them for the sacrifice they gave for their fellow officers and for the community that they serve,” said Officer Joe Cook, of the Palm Springs Police Officer’s Association.
KESQ News Channel 3 and CBS Local 2 will have continued coverage on the events in Sacramento and Washington, D.C. Stay with us on air and online for more.
