[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 16 (Wednesday, January 25, 2023)]
[House]
[Pages H285-H286]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            HONORING RIVERSIDE COUNTY DEPUTY ISAIAH CORDERO

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Ruiz) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. RUIZ. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a fallen hero, 
Riverside County Sheriff's Department Deputy Isaiah Cordero, who gave 
his life serving our community.
  Every day, our law enforcement officers put on their uniforms, kiss 
their loved ones good-bye, and go to work not knowing if they will come 
home.
  On December 29, 2022, Deputy Cordero put on his uniform, said good-
bye to his loved ones, and went to work that day to protect and serve. 
That afternoon, he was tragically shot and killed in the line of duty 
during what should have been a routine traffic stop.
  Now, a family mourns a loved one, our local law enforcement grieves a 
brother, and our community lost a guardian, protector, and friend.
  Deputy Cordero's service began with the Riverside County Sheriff's 
Department as a correctional deputy on May

[[Page H286]]

5, 2014. From the start, he was a hardworking, loyal colleague who led 
by example and wanted his partners to succeed.
  As a correctional deputy, he worked on cases at the Larry D. Smith 
Correctional Facility and the Indio jail. Later, he was promoted to 
deputy sheriff after completing training with the 204th Basic Academy.
  When he was transferred to the Jurupa Valley Station, Deputy Cordero 
achieved his goal to serve as a motor deputy. He had served in his 
dream job for only 3 months before his death at just 32 years old.
  Our community will remember Deputy Cordero as a selfless public 
servant who gave his life for our safety. His mother, Rebecca; father, 
Gilbert; stepbrother; loved ones; and friends will cherish his memory 
as a good man, devoted son, and loving uncle who brought a smile to 
everyone's face and as a kind soul who was quiet, polite, and humble, a 
ray of sunshine who loved motorcycles, cars, and punk rock.
  Together, as a community, let us honor his legacy, and together, as a 
Nation, let us salute his courage, remember his sacrifice, and show our 
appreciation for his fellow brothers and sisters who wear the badge, 
continuing to protect and serve every day.


 Memorializing the Life and Legacy of Riverside County Deputy Darnell 
                                Calhoun

  Mr. RUIZ. Madam Speaker, I rise to memorialize the life and legacy of 
Riverside County Sheriff's Department Deputy Darnell Calhoun.

  Our communities were shattered again by a tragic loss. On January 13, 
2023, Deputy Calhoun was fatally shot while responding to a domestic 
violence incident in Lake Elsinore, California. He was just 30 years 
old.
  He was born in Pomona and grew up in Murrieta, California, where he 
worked at his family's restaurant, Calhoun's Texas Family Barbeque.
  In 2019, Deputy Calhoun began his career in law enforcement with the 
San Diego Police Department, where he served for 3 years. He then 
joined the Riverside County Sheriff's Department to be closer to his 
family.
  You see, that is the thing about Deputy Calhoun. If there is one word 
to describe him, it is devoted: devoted to our community, devoted to 
his church, and, above all, devoted to his family.
  He loved being a dad and raising his growing family with his wife, 
Vanessa. It is all he ever wanted.
  For his children, Russell, Troy, and Malcolm, who is on the way; your 
children; my children; and everyone's children, Deputy Calhoun worked 
every day to make the world a better and safer place for us all.
  A fixture in the community, Deputy Calhoun could often be found at 
Covenant Grace Church, serving brisket at his family's restaurant, or 
out with the people, leading the way on community policing.
  He was an Eagles fan, a good man with a servant's heart who lived to 
serve, and a courageous deputy who put his life on the line for our 
safety.
  As the Calhoun family, fellow Riverside County Sheriff's Department 
officers, and our entire local law enforcement community carries the 
heavy burden of grief, anguish, and sorrow with Deputy Calhoun's 
passing, we must fulfill our solemn duty to honor and respect his 
service.
  Today, residents of Riverside County mourn the tragic loss of two 
fallen officers in the sheriff's department within 15 days of each 
other.
  Madam Speaker, I ask everyone present on the House floor today to 
join me in a moment of silence for Deputy Calhoun, Deputy Cordero, 
their families, and every fallen officer who has answered the call, put 
their lives on the line, and sacrificed themselves for our safety.

                          ____________________