Labor Lifetime Achievement Award
Ruben Rasso
Riverside County Sheriff’s Department
Ruben Rasso of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department has dedicated his career to improving the lives of the citizens he serves and the fellow law enforcement professionals he works with.
Ruben’s life pointed to police work in the early 1970s following his service with the United States Army in Vietnam. While a student at Mt. San Jacinto College, Ruben attended the San Bernardino County Marshal’s Academy and soon after, joined the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department. In his 28 years, Ruben has not only handled patrol but has taken on leadership roles in instructing law enforcement agencies in safety concepts and civil training. He has also been the Ombudsman, handling negotiations between labor and management on a variety of issues — for which we are honoring him tonight.
During this time with the Department, Ruben also managed to earn three degrees: an Associate of Arts from Mt. San Jacinto, a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice from California State University at San Bernardino and a Juris Doctor from Western State College of Law.
The same level of dedication Ruben has shown to his profession can also be seen in his community and political activities.
In the community, Ruben has been responsible for a variety of youth incentive, senior citizen, business development and neighborhood improvement programs. Presently he is a member of the Board of Trustees at Olive Crest Homes and Services for Abused Children and is president of the Corona Veterans’ Memorial. Politically, Ruben has been very active in the Republican Party in the Riverside area, having served both as Parliamentarian and representative of Assemblyman Rod Pacheco on the County’s Republican Central Committee. He later served as Charter President of the Riverside California Republican Assembly.
Ruben’s professional leadership has been the largest part of his career. He has held positions as President of the Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Riverside County, Director of the Southern California Alliance of Law Enforcement, and Director of the California Coalition of Law Enforcement Associations.
With the Riverside Sheriffs’ Association, Ruben has honorably served as Legal Defense Trustee, member of the Political Action Committee and member of the Board of Directors.
For his lifelong dedication to assuring the safety and goodwill of the people of Riverside and the members of its Sheriff’s Department, we are proud to honor Ruben Rasso as the recipient of the 2005 Labor Lifetime Achievement Award.
