Local law enforcement play in charitable dodge ball tournament in honor of fallen IPD Officer

Local law enforcement agencies participated in a dodge ball tournament Friday, in honor of fallen Indio Police Officer, Isabel “Izzy” Velasquez, 26, who passed away from a rare form of lung cancer on May 31.

Six teams of eight participated in the tournament, including members of the Riverside County District Attorney’s investigative team, Riverside County Sheriff’s Office, California Highway Patrol, Indio Police Department, and the Palm Springs Police Department.

“We usually only see them [other agencies] at big accidents when somethings happened, so to see the people that you normally associate with tragedy at something like this, it’s important to everybody in blue, and I believe it’s also important for the community to see that we’re human behind the badge. We’re not just police officers, chp officers, deputies, we are fathers and mothers and brothers and uncles and pastors and church members.”

Each player made a donation in Velasquez’s honor. Money raised will go toward sarcoma research and education.

Velasquez’s mother, Mercedes Garibay, says she’s grateful to see the law enforcement community support her family.

“I’m very glad happy honored that they’re all here today just to help us celebrate my daughters name and seeing her name on their shirts means a lot,” said Garibay.

The dodge ball tournament took place at Palm Desert High School from 6-9 p.m.

Officer Velasquez was laid to rest June 11 at Desert Memorial Park in Cathedral City.

According to Velasquez’s obituary, she was born in South El Monte, with the family later moving to Indio, where she attended Indio Middle and High School, participating in the cadet corps, softball and music. She later attended College of the Desert and joined the U.S. Army Reserve at 19, where she worked as a logistic specialist.

After six years in the Army Reserve and time as a public safety officer at Fantasy Springs Resort and Casino, she “fulfilled her dream” of becoming a police officer and was hired by the department on July 7, 2016.

“Isabel, since she was little, she always wanted to serve people, always helping the homeless taking blankets to them, fresh water. She was happy and honored to serve her community and were so grateful to the Indio police department for giving her that opportunity,” said Garibay.