By Eliza PARTIKA

More than lunch was served at the 29th Annual Glendale Police Awards Luncheon held at the Hilton Hotel on July 10. The awards ceremony was hosted by the Glendale Police Foundation and presented trophies and certificates to various officers and civilians for their exceptional service. 

Among those awarded was community member Vincent Ceciere who received a Community Service Award for protecting an officer from being harmed by a violent, intoxicated offender. 

Officers Corey Petrosyan and Tommie Hodge were awarded for assisting 142 unhoused people in Glendale – 65 of whom received necessary services. 

The Marksmanship Award was given to six officers for their shooting proficiency and the GPD Vice Narcotics Unit received a Distinguished Service Award for its exceptional work in 2024 seizing large amounts of illicit substances and recovering substantial funds. 

Officer of the Year was awarded to Officer Jeff Antonucci who “has served the community with excellence and distinction.” Antonucci was awarded for returning property and assisting in computer crimes operations. 

Other notable recipients were Chief Deputy City Attorney Anne Mallard who was honored for her extensive legal expertise, leadership and dedication to the Glendale Police Dept. and the city; Amy Tate and her service dog Brisket for their  support of vulnerable crime victims and their educational outreach; and Araz Nazarian for her analytical prowess in solving crimes. Officers Carlson, Cazotti, Duncan and Willis won their division award for rescuing a kidnap victim and handling the case with sensitivity.

Glendale Police Chief Manuel Cid said he commended the winning officers and their dedication to Glendale PD and the Glendale community. 

“As we recognize the guardians of our community [on July 10], let us also remember the many sacrifices that they make [and] the people [who] support them,” said Chief Cid. “They put all of that on the line, oftentimes sacrificing much of their personal lives [including time with their] family, time and again their [own] safety, to make sure that they can come to work every day and uphold the mission of the Glendale Police Dept.”

Council members in attendance included Elen Asatryan, Dan Brotman and Vartan Gharpetian. Mayor Ara Najarian and former council member Paula Devine were also in attendance, as was Glendale Unified School District Board of Education President Shant Sahakian. 

Mayor Ara Najarian praised GPD’s proactive policing and community partnerships, citing a 25% reduction in residential burglaries and the launch of a real-time intelligence center. 

He lauded the staff as “the backbone that lets our officers do what they do best” before turning to the officers.

“Your excellence lifts us all,” said Mayor Najarian. “And to our officers: you don’t just enforce the law. You safeguard our dreams, protect our neighborhoods and mentor our youth.”