TOP MANAGEMENT AWARD
Ed Deuel
Retired Lieutenant, Huntington Beach Police Department
Ed Deuel began his law enforcement career at the Whittier Police Department in 1973. He joined the Huntington Beach Police Department in 1977. His assignments included 14 years with the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Team, Department Training Manager and over eight years as the Officer-in-Charge of the Crimes Against Persons Unit. Since 1980, he has served as a law enforcement trainer for basic and advanced courses in patrol procedures and tactics, officer-involved-shooting investigations, SWAT operations, use of force and the Trauma Response Team. Deuel retired as a Lieutenant after 33 years of distinguished service in December 2006.
Deuel is a subject matter expert on peace officers facing violent encounters for the Commission on California Peace Officer Standards and Training’s (POST) televised training productions. In addition, he was asked by the Los Angeles Police Department to re-enact the officer-involved-shooting incident in which he was wounded. He received the Medal of Valor for his actions at that moment in time. This training tape has received nationwide recognition, helping peace officers survive critical incidents.
Deuel was one of the first to integrate officer safety and post-traumatic stress in video law enforcement training. This concept is used nationally by other law enforcement instructors, a testimony to his leadership in this field. Furthermore, Deuel has authored various training articles published in law enforcement magazines.
Deuel has personally debriefed hundreds of peace officers who have survived lethal assaults. Deuel was instrumental in the development of a Trauma Response Team at the Huntington Beach Police Department in 1988. He has also helped law enforcement agencies in California and New York create trauma response teams. Deuel’s efforts have saved many law enforcement careers.
As the Huntington Beach Police Department’s Training Manager, Deuel worked with Dr. Blum to develop crisis decision-making and use-of-force scenario training. The skills taught in this program have greatly reduced the shock reactions and sensory distortions in officers confronted with unexpected lethal encounters, and significantly improved their tactical responses in life-threatening incidents. He also initiated ongoing emergency vehicle operation and vehicle pursuit intervention courses that have dramatically reduced officer-involved traffic collisions.
As a senior member of POST’s Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted (LEOKA) Committee, Deuel has studied the assaults and deaths of hundreds of peace officers. He participates in the publication of LEOKA’s critical incident reports.
Deuel continues his commitment to law enforcement even during retirement. Recently, there was a horrible shooting in Fresno County resulting in the death of a Reedley police officer and a Fresno County sheriff’s deputy. Deuel responded to the incident and provided very effective trauma support service and advice. Deuel is truly loved by the troops and continues to give back to the law enforcement profession.
TOP MANAGEMENT AWARD
Salvador Cuellar, Jr.
Deputy Chief of Police, Navy Region Southwest Force Protection Department
Navy Region Southwest Force Protection Department Deputy Chief of Police Salvador Cuellar, Jr. earned the Top Management Award for so many different reasons, including the following: This past year, Chief Cuellar, as Precinct Commander for Naval Base Coronado, developed and implemented a new field interview database system for his department which will increase awareness and better tracking of individuals amongst the precincts. In doing so, he also updated the field interview books so information can be entered into the new FI system more rapidly. Chief Cuellar meets regularly with other agencies to ensure that all lines of communication remain open and information sharing remains a top priority in combating anti-terrorism/force protection for his department, as well as for other departments. He has also updated numerous policies for the department that have dramatically improved officer safety. By doing, so he has also improved morale.
Chief Cuellar sits on his department’s promotion board, where he is honest and open and doesn’t promote someone just because of the good-ol’-boys system. Chief Cuellar every year donates his time and assists with Shop with a Cop, the Teddy Bear Drive and the California Peace Officers’ Memorial, just to name a few.
