Santa Ana police honored; chief meets Obama

September 18th, 2009, 3:04 pm · 12 Comments · posted by Dena Bunis, Washington Bureau Chief

Santa Ana Police Chief Paul Walters spent a little while this afternoon in the Oval Office with President Barack Obama as part of the department being honored with the Department of Defense’s Freedom Award.

The department was one of 15 private and public sector organizations who got the award for their support of employees who were called up for either National Guard or reserve duty. waltersobama5

“It was really exciting,’’ said Walters, soon after he and the other award winners were ushered into the Oval Office. “We got to go in and meet and talk to him and have individual photographs and then a group photo.’’
Walters said he told Obama he was bringing a message from his step-daughter, Dani Reid, who is a senior at the University of Hawaii.

“She wanted him to know how much she really admires and loves what he’s doing as president,’’ Walters said he told Obama. He said Obama’s face lit up and told everyone how Hawaii was his home state.

After the individual photographs, Obama talked to the group, Walters said, telling them how much he appreciated the support they all gave to the soldiers call up for active duty,

Santa Ana has more than two dozen National Guard and Reserve member employees. The department provides differential pay so their officers won’t suffer financially while doing their military services. In addition, the department has a Military Liaison Office program that helps family members while their loved ones are away.

The group was honored at a Defense Department dinner in the Reagan Building Thursday night. Speaking was Second Lady Jill Biden. The Biden’s have a son serving in Iraq. Click here to see a video of the presentation of the award to the Santa Ana department. Earlier Thursday Walters went to the Pentagon where the award recipients met Secretary of Defense Robert Gates.

Walters said Biden choked up at times during her speech to the award winners.

After the dinner Walters and the delegation from Santa Ana went to a famous Washington eatery, the Old Ebbitt Grill. While there they saw a picture of General Ulysses S. Grant in uniform and the Santa Ana officers got a kick out of being allowed to go behind the bar and get their picture taken with the general’s picture.

Santa Ana police honored for doing right by reservists

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Posted in: OC cities • President Obama

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Thomas Anthony Gordon says:

September 18, 2009 at 6:57 pm

Congratulations to Chief Paul Walters and the brave men & women of the SAPD who protect not only Santa Ana, but our Country as well.

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Mike Bridge says:

September 18, 2009 at 7:45 pm

I hope he told Obama that he is Police Chief of the murder capital of Orange County and how well the Sanctuary City policies are working.

Michael says:

September 18, 2009 at 8:02 pm

The chief should try and straighten out his town of Santa Ana

James says:

September 18, 2009 at 8:18 pm

Instead of flying at tax payers expense maybe they could use the money to combat crime in Santa Ana?

Les says:

September 18, 2009 at 8:54 pm

Before I read the article, I thought he was getting an award for having the most illegal immigrants for a city over 300,000.

caseclosed says:

September 18, 2009 at 9:19 pm

Just a couple of losers.

Naptown says:

September 18, 2009 at 9:28 pm

OOO-WEE, I’ll bet those gang bangers will just pack up and leave town now. LOL.

angry white dude says:

September 18, 2009 at 9:55 pm

I thought he was a Repubican.

ocobserver says:

September 18, 2009 at 10:01 pm

No wonder Obama likes the guy so much. He has literally allowed illegal foreigners to take over the town of Santa Ana. If there were more police chiefs like Walters Obama wouldn’t even have to worry about amnesty. Just let them all come through our porous border at will and come into the interior USA without any threat whatsoever of being deported unless they commit some heinous crime. Then we’ll eventually send them back home on the taxpayer’s dime so they can visit their family and once they get bored just walk over to the TJ border and cross again. Chief Walters should get an award from the President of Mexico too. Look at all the money he saved them by letting them come to Santa Ana and live off the US and county taxpayer!

Loveitorleaveit says:

September 21, 2009 at 8:28 am

Let’s see, judging by the ignorant comments above, most of you are either:
a) illegal immigrants
b) peace-officer wannabes
c) jealous because you have no work ethic and work for minimum wage
d) have done nothing even remotely close to supporting the troups and their families and therefore have no idea how difficult it is on these soldiers and their families when someone is deployed to fight for the rights of tiny-brained individuals like yourselves.
e) all of the above.

Congratulations to SAPD and thank you for helping those of us who care.

P.S. Thanks, Thomas.

brianguy says:

September 21, 2009 at 3:27 pm

wow embarrassing… why is that guy smiling so much. you’d think he just cured cancer. I invite Barack to drive through Santa Ana from MacArthur to the 22 fwy as I so just about every day. not fun

livingdeadgirl says:

September 24, 2009 at 4:26 pm

WOW….. Just pure ignorance….
What is with you people? You can’t even appriciate that those officers were fighting to protect our country, instead you bash on them?

I don’t get it….

I know that Santa Ana isn’t the best city in the O.C but what does that have to do with what the officers that went out to protect our country?

People should learn to look at their own lives and see what they have done to protect our country before they judge others.

Just sad that the human race has come down to pure ignorance…..

Thanks to the men & women of the SAPD for protecting the city and our country.

Orange County Register