Remarks of

GREGORY D. TOTTEN

District Attorney

PEACE OFFICERS' ASSOCIATION OF VENTURA COUNTY

MEDAL OF VALOR DINNER

April 14, 2007

Tonight we pay tribute to citizens and peace officers -- not for their words -- but for their deeds. And words alone can never do justice to these brave and hearty souls who under extraordinary circumstances risked - and in one case sacrificed -- their own lives to save others.

At this, the 34th Annual Medal of Valor dinner, we come together to congratulate and thank tonight's honorees for daring to take action when reason and common sense dictated otherwise.  It is said that, "valor is stability, not of legs and arms, but of courage and the soul." This evening you are going to hear some amazing stories - true stories of men and women transcending mere mortal constraints to perform almost supernatural feats of genuine valor and bravery. Their uncommon acts are a testament to SERVING OTHERS, in a spirit of grace and self-sacrifice that comes only from above.

At a time when our popular culture prizes self-interest above all else, what causes someone to rescue a complete stranger or run towards danger rather than away from it?

The modern view, shaped largely by Hollywood , gives us celluloid figures that are larger than life who seek glory with a reckless indifference to danger. They are almost always invincible, fearless and devoid of humility. But most importantly, they are not real. No, there are some important lessons that the individuals we honor tonight teach us about true valor.

You see, they sought neither glory nor reward. Instead, in the truest spirit of a Good Samaritan, they found someone in distress and acted without hesitation. Many of you may recall the timeless parable that Jesus told in response to a lawyer's questions. As the story goes, while traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho , thieves confronted a man, assaulted him, stole his clothes and belongings, and left him for dead. His plight was later ignored by both a priest and a prominent citizen who, despite seeing his desperate condition, chose to pass him on the other side of the roadway.

Thankfully, a Samaritan came alongside the injured man, and with kindness and generosity treated his wounds, put him on his own animal, and took him to an inn where he even paid for the injured man's lodging. Tonight, the Medals of Valor and Merit, thus symbolize our gratitude to the recipients for not simply passing on the other side of roadway, but instead for taking the more difficult and dangerous - and I believe higher -- course to rescue a fellow human being in danger.

Conventional wisdom also holds heroism is like creativity, either you've got it or you don't. We expect heroes to look like Sylvester Stallone or a Tom Cruise and have the athletic prowess of a Michael Jordon or Brett Favre. Fortunately, history teaches us otherwise.

One of the most courageous figures during World War II had been a sickly and frail child with a serious speech impediment. He was also lousy athlete and poor student who was all but ignored by his mother and frequently berated by his father. Yet he found within himself the mettle to rise above these obstacles to become a heroic soldier in the British Army, a member of Parliament, and ultimately Prime Minister of England. He has been called, "The Last Lion" and "The Bulldog," but to all those souls who lived through the London bombings of World War II, Sir Winston Churchill was the leader "upon whose shoulders rested their safety and indeed the fate of the free world."

There is a story from Churchill's time as a soldier that foreshadowed his future greatness and represents a fitting example of the very type of valor we honor tonight. As a young soldier fighting on the Northwest frontier of India , in the midst of being overrun by the enemy, he was shocked to see British soldiers abandon their wounded officer to the mercy of ruthless tribesman. So the a 22-year-old Churchill risked his own life to single-handedly rescue the officer, by rushing in and holding off the enemy at close quarters with shots from his revolver. Perhaps this experience explains why he said, "Courage is rightly esteemed the first of human qualities because it is the quality which guarantees all others."

Not unlike Churchill's brave rescue as a soldier, tonight's peace officer recipients acted with valor as a matter of duty and their acts offer another lesson: Namely, we must never overlook our own responsibility to those who accept danger and risk as a part of professional duty. For our community, and indeed, our nation depends upon their willingness to risk their lives for the benefit of all.

As District Attorney, I am reminded every day of just how much we ask of peace officers in protecting our community, our businesses, and our families. It begins with the badge and uniform they wear that includes a bulletproof vest and gun belt as ever-present reminders of the dangers they face. We put them in a patrol car equipped with emergency lights, a siren, a radio, and a shotgun and send them to calls of "shots fired," "robbery in progress," and "man with a gun." At the same time, today's peace officer faces more public scrutiny and criticism, greater regulation, and higher expectations than at any time in modern policing history.

They also face more danger, witness more tragedy, and see more death and dying than their predecessors. Every year California leads the nation in the number of officers killed in the line of duty. Indeed, last year's murder of Oceanside Police Officer Daniel Bessant was a vivid reminder of those dangers.

Twenty-three-year-old Officer Bessant, had responded as a backup to another officer who had stopped a car with six occupants for a Vehicle Code violation. Approximately 15 minutes into the call, several shots were fired from behind the officers at a distance of 70 to 100 yards. A single round entered an area of Officer Bessant's left side that was not covered by his protective vest, killing him. A 17-year-old boy later confessed to the killing, but provided no motive for his crime. And sadly next month, Officer Daniel Bessant's name will be added along with the names of nine other officers killed in 2006 to the more than 1,400 names on California 's Peace Officers' Memorial in Sacramento . There are more than 17,000 names on the national memorial and 29 on our own here in Ventura County .

Beyond such senseless killings, each year an estimated 15 percent of California 's peace officers suffer an injury and 20 to 30 percent are assaulted in the line of duty. Moreover, only 25 percent of officers ever reach retirement and those that do enjoy an average life expectancy of only 5 to 8 years.

Notwithstanding these disturbing figures and the very real dangers of the job, every year there are efforts to increase regulation and reduce fundamental peace officer protections that have developed over decades. Sadly, even some policymakers seek to weaken peace officer salaries and benefits.

Frankly, I think we own them more - in fact, we have a solemn responsibility to protect those who protect us. And it begins with the respect they are accorded in our neighborhoods, our schools, our communities, and the halls of government. For if we desire to imbue every segment of our culture with a passion to serve others, we cannot, we must not, fail to care for those who are called by duty every day to the noble virtues of courage and valor.

Public events and recognitions like this evening's dinner and the Peace Officers' Memorial Ceremony that will be held in Ventura County and across our nation next month are a vital part of this special acknowledgement. It has been said that the future does not belong to the fainthearted, it belongs to the brave. And, when one pauses to reflect on the bravery of the peace officers and citizens we honor tonight, there is reason for optimism about the future of Ventura County . We are blessed.

So tonight, on behalf of the more than 250 men and women of Ventura County District Attorney's Office, I am honored to join the Peace Officers' Association of Ventura County in congratulating and thanking each award recipient. Your acts of courage represent all that is good in human spirit. May the Lord bless and protect you always. May he smile on you, show you his favor, and give you his peace.

Thank you.