[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 12]
[Senate]
[Page 16421]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   HONORING OFFICER JOSE GILBERT VEGA

  Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, today I ask my colleagues to join me in 
honoring the life of Police Officer Jose Gilbert Vega, a beloved 
husband, father, grandfather, and uncle who was tragically killed in 
the line of duty on October 8, 2016.
  Jose ``Gil'' Vega was born in Texas to a family of migrant farm 
workers. When Gil was 6 years old his family relocated to Coachella, 
CA, where he graduated from Indio High School. In 1979, Gil began his 
career in law enforcement by serving as a reserve police officer for 
the Indio Police Department. He was hired as a community service 
officer by the Palm Springs Police Department in 1982, and the 
following year, he accepted additional responsibilities as a jail and 
reserve field training officer. Gil's hard work and dedication was 
recognized in 1985 when the city of Palm Springs hired him as a police 
officer trainee. Upon completion of his program at the San Bernardino 
County Sheriff's Academy, Gil was promoted to police officer.
  Officer Vega worked on various assignments throughout his career, 
including serving as a detective for the Riverside Auto Theft 
Interdiction Detail, RAID, and the Palm Springs Crimes Against Property 
Unit. Over the course of three decades, Officer Vega mentored over 30 
police officers and was consistently recognized for his commitment to 
his job and the community. He was awarded a lifesaving medal for 
performing CPR on an infant in 2010 and received the Medal of Merit in 
2013. He is also the only officer in the history of the Palm Springs 
Police Department to have been selected twice by his peers as ``Officer 
of the Year,'' in 1992 and 2011.
  Officer Vega truly embodied the very best of law enforcement and his 
courageous service will be forever remembered. On behalf of the people 
of California whom Officer Vega served so bravely, I extend my 
heartfelt condolences to his wife, Susana; his eight children; and his 
entire extended family.

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