Awards PAGE 4
surrender . The man then voluntarily agreed to receive additional medical and psychological treatment .
Award of Merit presented to Officer Gary Abrahamyan
On July 29 , 2023 , Officer Gary Abrahamyan was dispatched in an emergency response to a traffic collision on Jamboree Road . Officer Abrahamyan was the first to arrive and observed a single vehicle had crashed into a tree , causing the vehicle to become engulfed in flames . Officer Abrahamyan immediately ran to the vehicle and observed an unconscious male subject who was still in the driver ’ s seat of the burning vehicle . Despite warnings from bystanders that the driver ’ s door was stuck shut , Officer Abrahamyan wrestled with the door until he was able to break it open . While the fire continued to spread into the interior of the vehicle , Officer Abrahamyan used his pocketknife to cut the driver ’ s seatbelt and pull the man from the vehicle . Officer Abrahamyan and good Samaritans then pulled the unconscious driver to a safe location away from the vehicle , where responding paramedics attempted in vain to save the man ’ s life .
Award of Merit presented to Officers Joseph Azucena , Tony Gallegos , Joshua Granger , Nicklas Haring , and Mitchell Rivas
On October 8 , 2023 , Officers Joseph Azucena , Tony Gallegos , Joshua Granger , Nicklas Haring , and Mitchell Rivas were dispatched to an emergency call for a major traffic collision near the intersection of
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Jamboree Road and Bison Avenue . Officers arrived to find that a single vehicle had crashed into a large tree , causing the tree to collapse onto the vehicle . The collision caused the vehicle to catch fire , which posed an immediate threat to the incapacitated occupants and to responding officers . As the fire quickly spread inside the vehicle and onto the attached tree limbs , officers ran to the burning car and observed two unconscious male subjects inside the vehicle . Despite the growing fire , billowing smoke , and obstructing tree limbs , the officers worked heroically to cut the unconscious passengers from the burning vehicle and drag them a safe distance away , where responding paramedics could render medical aid . Through the selfless and heroic efforts of these officers , both occupants were transported to local hospitals , where they made full recoveries .
Award of Merit presented to Officer Kyle Markwald
In January 2020 , Officer Kyle Markwald was working uniformed patrol in Newport Beach when he observed suspicious behavior outside a hotel , which his experience as a Human Trafficking investigator led him to recognize as prostitution-related activity . These observations led Officer Markwald to begin an extensive investigation in which he obtained additional evidence to write and serve multiple search warrants for phone records and lease agreements . The information Officer Markwald obtained revealed that one female was likely the victim of human trafficking at the hands of one of the men from his initial observations .
After an exhaustive investigation , Officer Markwald arrested the male suspect and
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served search warrants inside the man ’ s apartment , where evidence confirmed the female subject had been sexually trafficked and abused by the suspect for over six years . Officer Markwald ’ s arduous , tenacious , and professional investigation eventually led to the suspect pleading guilty to Human Trafficking and Pimping and Pandering , resulting in a six-year sentence in state prison .
Award of Merit presented to Officers Michael Querry , Mitchell Rivas , and Matthew Wong
On October 23 , 2023 , at 2:24 a . m ., Officers Michael Querry , Mitchell Rivas , and Matthew Wong were dispatched to an emergency call for a major structure fire at a residence in Newport Beach in which arson was suspected . Officers arrived to find a couch on the patio fully engulfed in flames , with the fire spreading inside the home and to the second floor of the residence . Not knowing if anyone was inside the residence , officers forced entry by breaking through a glass door and began to search the home as the fire grew around them . Officers Querry and Wong climbed to the second floor and rooftop patio in search of potential victims but soon began to feel the debilitating effects of smoke inhalation and realized they were no longer able to access the stairs due to the billowing smoke and growing fire and were now trapped on the roof .
Officer Rivas , who was able to safely exit the residence , coordinated with responding Fire Department personnel to develop a plan to safely evacuate Officers Querry and Wong .
It was later determined the residence was
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in fact occupied by a family at the time the fire had started , but all occupants had safely evacuated and that there were no significant injuries . After being treated for smoke inhalation , Officer Querry immediately returned to duty and quickly located and arrested the suspect believed to be involved in the arson . His investigation revealed evidence that the subject had , in fact , purposely set the fire .
Award of Merit presented to Officers Beau Rains and Lina You
On December 20 , 2022 , Officers Beau Rains and Lina You were dispatched to an emergency call for a structure fire on Lido Island . While responding to the fire , a second witness reported the home was possibly occupied by three small children who were unable to escape . Officers arrived to observe the residence on fire with heavy smoke billowing out of the windows of the house . Believing the home was occupied by three children , the officers forced entry and began to search the home as the fire grew around them . Despite being overcome with smoke inhalation , officers took the time to remove the family dog they had located inside its locked kennel . After finishing their search for additional occupants , the officers safely evacuated the building with the family dog as the fire quickly grew and engulfed the entire home . The officers reunited the family dog with the scared and distraught children , who had successfully escaped the fire before the officers arrived . After being treated at the scene , Officers Rains and You immediately returned to duty to assist with crowd control and witness interviews .
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