American Legion honors first responders
Dignitaries and honorees who attended the banquet included (above left to right): Dave Giboo, Post 1187 Commander; Richard Rodriquez, Post 1187 and DCSO Chaplain; DCSO Sergeant Paul Rogers; DCSO Sheriff Darren Weekly; DCSO Law Enforcement Officer of the Year Awardee, Deputy Trent Aronson; CRPD Law Enforcement Officer of the Year awardee, Officer Adrian Mendez; and Castle Rock Town Councilman Tim Dietz.
The American Legion 1187 in Castle Rock held its 38th annual birthday banquet on October 25 at the Bear Dance Golf Club in Larkspur.
Tim Dietz—Councilman for The Town of Castle Rock, Navy veteran and member of Post 1187 and VFW Post 12230—was the banquet’s keynote speaker.
The event recognized area first responders and law enforcement officers and presented awards to the Castle Rock Fire Department (CRFD), Douglas County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) and Castle Rock Police Department (CRPD). The honorees were: CRFD Lieutenant Matt Osborn, DCSO Deputy Trent Aronson and CRPD Officer Adrian Mendez.
Lieutenant Osborn was awarded the CRFD Firefighter of the Year. He is a paramedic at Station 155 and serves as the president of the International Association of Fire Fighters Local 4116. This award is in recognition of Osborn’s support of a fellow firefighter/EMT that the department lost last year and his support of the firefighter’s family. Due to a prior commitment, Lieutenant Osborn could not attend the banquet, so Wayne Turner, retired Aurora Fire Department Captain and Post 1187 treasurer (pictured above), accepted the award on his behalf.
Deputy Aronson was awarded the DCSO Law Enforcement Officer of the Year. He is a Navy veteran who joined DCSO in 2022. Prior to that, he received a Life Saving Award in California for saving a fellow officer who had been exposed to fentanyl. Committed to public service, his team, his agency and the community, Deputy Aronson is dedicated to providing training on officer safety.
Officer Mendez received the CRPD Law Enforcement Officer of the Year and has served with both the Denver Police Department and CRPD, approaching 20 years in law enforcement. He has served in patrol, the Realtime Crime Center, the Community Partnership Unit, and is a Homeless Navigator, assisting those in need. Officer Mendez is a Field Training Officer, a firearms and defensive measures instructor and a proud member of the Castle Rock Honor Guard.
By Susan Helton; photos courtesy of American Legion Post 1187
