Annual Report FY 2022-2023

Every day, our personnel do great work serving the community and keeping the residents of Orange County safe. Throughout the year, many of our employees were recognized for their exception al contributions to public safety. Here are some of the prestigious honors awarded to members of the Sheriff’s Department.

OC Sheriff Captain recognized for commitment to diversity and inclusion

T he Anti-Defamation League presented the prestigious Helene & Joseph Sherwood Family Prize for Combating Hate to Captain Joses Walehwa for his efforts to strengthen and revitalize the diversity training program at the Orange County Sheriff’s Regional Training Academy.

RECOGNITION and AWARDS Captain Walehwa engaged faith and community leaders to create a more robust cultural diversity curriculum for the Training Academy, which prepares hundreds of peace officers to serve Southern California’s communities every year. Enhancements included panel discussions with representatives from the LGBTQ+ community, nuero-diverse communities, differently abled individuals and those with various faith backgrounds. The classes also participated in community field trips to various faith and cultural centers to break down barriers. By fostering mutual understanding and respect between diverse communities and law enforcement, new peace officers are better prepared to serve their communities.

Commander nationally recognized for community achievements T he National Sheriffs’ Association (NSA) in FY '22-'23 honored Commander Virgil Asuncion with the Charles “Bud” Meeks Award for Deputy Sheriff of the Year for Merit. The award, named in memory of a previous NSA executive director, recognizes exceptional and meritorious work positively impacting the community. Commander Asuncion was selected for his long list of achievements in 2022 when he served as Chief of Police Services for Laguna Niguel. His accomplishments included developing and implementing a robust e-bike safety campaign, which earned him the Helen Putnam Award for Excellence in Public Safety, and employing a Flock Safety camera system, leading to the arrest of multiple subjects for various crimes.

orange county sheriff’s department

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