Two people set to be recognized for their actions by DHS City Council
A Desert Hot Springs police officer and a citizen who stepped up to stop an assault will be recognized at Tuesday evening’s Desert Hot Springs City Council meeting with a pair of first-ever awards for their efforts in the line of duty.
They will be recognized by Mayor Scott Matas and other city leaders at the 5:30 p.m. meeting at the Carl May Center.
Andres Gutierrez-Wilms an employee with McDonalds, will receive the inaugural Chief of Police Commendation for preventing the assault of a senior citizen. On May 8, Gutierrez-Wilms prevented a robbery suspect from assaulting the man at the McDonald’s restaurant on Palm Drive, then took the suspect into custody, according to DHS police Chief Dale Mondary.
Yesenia Barriola, a school resource officer at Desert Hot Springs High School, will receive the first-ever Vega-Zerebny Officer of the Year Award, named after the two Palm Springs police officers shot and killed in the line of duty last year.
Barriola is being recognized by Christopher’s Clubhouse, a Coachella Valley organization that seeks to provide children with the skills and knowledge to recognize and avoid predatory crimes.
According to Desert Hot Springs police, a “blue-ribbon panel of judges from as far away as Los Angeles P.D.” chose Barriola over submissions from law enforcement agencies across the Coachella Valley.
In addition to the award, Barriola received a travel scholarship to attend the National Crimes Against Children training in Dallas, Texas.
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