[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 14]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 20692]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



      SALUTE TO JUDIE SEDELL, DEPUTY PROBATION OFFICER OF THE YEAR

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ELTON GALLEGLY

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, August 5, 1999

  Mr. GALLEGLY. Mr. Speaker, Judie Sedell of Simi Valley, California, 
says she just loves chasing criminals. She's good at it, too, which is 
one of the reasons this mother of two grown children recently was 
honored by the Ventura County Probation Agency as its Deputy Probation 
Officer of the Year.
  Now in her 21st year as a probation officer, Judie not only is an 
exceptional probation officer, she is an exceptional person. Not only 
does she have the respect of her colleagues in the criminal justice 
system, she also has gained the admiration of her clients, even when 
they fail to stay on the right side of the law. In fact, Judie handles 
some of the highest-risk offenders, including rapists and armed 
robbers, and makes more arrests than any other officer in her unit.
  Her success is due to hard work, a wonderful sense of humor and her 
ability to treat her clients with a combination of firmness, empathy, 
respect and dignity. She recently was observed joking with a convicted 
felon who had violated his probation. She gave him a candy bar, and, a 
short while later, told him he was under arrest. When she handcuffed 
him, he reacted calmly because he knew Judie was only doing her job 
because he had failed to do his.
  Judie's supervisor describes her as a consummate team player, a role 
model for novice officers and a source of amazement for veterans who 
cannot figure out how she maintains her enthusiasm. A former social 
worker, Judie says she finds great satisfaction in protecting her 
community while helping felons to lead productive lives after being 
imprisoned. ``It doesn't happen very often, but when you see someone's 
life turn around, it's an extremely rewarding experience,'' Judie 
recently told her local newspaper.
  I am proud to say that Judie Sedell not only is an outstanding 
constituent, she and her husband Mike, Simi Valley's city manager, are 
also my friends. I urge my colleagues to join me in wishing her many 
more years of continued success.

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