CDCR honors 16 at 2024 Medal of Valor ceremony

CDCR honored 16 employees during its 39thannual Medal of Valor Ceremony held Sept. 20, 2024.

Watch the full video of the ceremony (story continues below):

CDCR awards its employees for distinguishing themselves by conspicuous bravery or heroism above and beyond the normal demands of correctional service. Honorees this year work in a wide variety of disciplines throughout the state. Family members and colleagues attended the ceremony at Richard A. McGee Correctional Training Center in Galt.

“Today, we honor the brave and selfless deeds of our employees who have courageously risked their own safety to assist others. It’s not surprising but it is noteworthy that CDCR employees are prepared to step up when our communities need us,” said CDCR Secretary Jeff Macomber. “Today’s awards demonstrate that dedication to community by our coworkers extends beyond their duties and uniforms.”

Honorees at the Medal of Valor ceremony

The Medal of Valor, CDCR’s highest award, was presented to employees who displayed conspicuous bravery or heroism far beyond the normal demands of correctional service. The employees awarded displayed great courage in the face of immediate life-threatening peril with full knowledge of the risk involved, showed professional judgment and, did not jeopardize operations or the lives of others.

This year’s recipients were Correctional Sgt. Charles Davis from Pelican Bay State Prison and Thomas Coyle, senior laboratory assistant at Mule Creek State Prison.

Fourteen other employees were also recognized for heroic acts and dedicated public service.

Sgt. Charles Davis, Pelican Bay State Prison

In August 2023, Sgt. Davis displayed exceptional bravery by risking his life to enter a burning house and successfully rescued a young man and three dogs. Without Sgt. Davis’s courageous actions, a tragic loss of life would have occurred in the blaze.

Thomas Coyle, senior laboratory assistant, Mule Creek State Prison

In August 2023, Thomas Coyle demonstrated exceptional bravery and selflessness when he intervened in a four-vehicle accident while returning home from work. While stopped at a traffic light in Sacramento County, Coyle witnessed a truck bursting into flames and two other vehicles colliding with a power pole, causing high-voltage power lines to fall. Without hesitation, Coyle swiftly removed one victim from the vicinity of the fire, ensuring that individual’s safety. Additionally, he assisted a CHP officer in freeing a trapped driver from another vehicle surrounded by flames, successfully moving the individual to safety. Coyle’s courageous actions undoubtedly played a pivotal role in saving at least two lives during this harrowing incident.

Read their full stories on the Medal of Valor awards page.

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Gold Star Medal 

The Gold Star Medal is awarded for heroic deeds under extraordinary circumstances. The employee shall display courage in the face of immediate peril in acting to save the life of another person. 

Rogelio Tienda, Correctional Officer, California State Prison, Corcoran

In May 2023, a correctional officer was hit by another vehicle head-on while driving home from his first-watch shift.

The collision was violent, knocking him unconscious and causing his vehicle to catch fire. Officer Rogelio Tienda came upon the horrific scene and acted quickly to break a window and pull the victim to safety.

Another correctional officer arrived and assisted, directing traffic around the accident scene.

Read more about our Gold Star recipient.

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Silver Star Medal

The Silver Star Medal is awarded for acts of bravery under extraordinary or unusual circumstances. The employee shall display courage in the face of potential peril while saving or attempting to save the life of another person or distinguish him/herself by performing in stressful situations with exceptional tactics or judgement. 

Three Silver Stars awarded to:

• Joseph Masterson, Correctional Officer, Sierra Conservation Center, Jamestown
• Jesse Winslow, Correctional Sergeant, Sierra Conservation Center, Jamestown
• Christopher Castanon, Correctional Officer, Sierra Conservation Center, Jamestown 

In April 2023 around 5 a.m., three staff members were separately commuting to Sierra Conservation Center when they witnessed a major accident, leaving a car sheared in half. It was still dark outside so the situation, with a vehicle disabled in a busy intersection, was extremely dangerous.

As Officer Masterson, Officer Castanon and Sgt. Winslow each responded quickly, directing traffic on the busy six-lane highway, helping the victim and checking for other potential victims.

The officers displayed courage, heroism without hesitation, and selflessness by putting themselves in dangerous circumstances for the community.

Jumel Moises, Correctional Sergeant, California State Prison, Centinela

Sgt. Jumel Moises used his CDCR training to save a neighbor during an attack.

In May 2023, Moises was taking his dogs for an evening walk around his Chula Vista neighborhood.

During his walk, he spotted three men attacking a male victim, striking him with their feet and hands while the victim appeared defenseless on the ground.

Moises approached the attackers, announced himself as a peace officer, and yelled out to stop the attack. The assailants fled the area. The victim had been stabbed and was bleed from his right side.

Moises immediately called 911 while applying pressure to his stab wound. He then remained at the scene with the victim until medical responders arrived. The victim survived.

Read their expanded stories on the Silver Star Medal of Valor page.

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Bronze Star Medal

The 2024 Bronze Star is awarded for saving a life without placing oneself in peril. The employee shall have used proper training and tactics in a professional manner to save, or clearly contribute to saving, the life of another person.

The recipients of the 2024 Bronze Star

• Ron Agredano, Parole Agent I, Division of Adult Parole Operations, Stockton
• Jose Ortega, Correctional Officer, California State Prison, Corcoran
• John Costello, Correctional Officer, California State Prison, Sacramento
• Velina Morales, Associate Governmental Program Analyst, Division of Adult Parole Operations, Sacramento
• Ronald Franklin, Correctional Sergeant, Pelican Bay State Prison, Crescent City
• Fidencio Ramirez, Transportation Officer, Substance Abuse Treatment Facility and State Prison, Corcoran
• Imelda Holbrooke, Correctional Officer, Ironwood State Prison, Blythe

For more information on the Bronze Star honorees, visit the Medal of Valor website.

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Unit Citations

The Unit Citation is awarded for great courage displayed by a departmental unit in the course of conducting an operation in the face of immediate life-threatening circumstances.

Unit Citation recipients for 2024

• Angel Jimenez, Correctional Officer
• Eric Flores, Lieutenant, Camp Commander, Mountain Home Conservation Camp #10

Read the expanded story on the Unit Citation Medal of Valor page.

It was an honor recognizing our courageous and dedicated employees during the special ceremony. Use the hashtag #CDCRHeroes when sharing highlights from this event on media stories and social media. Share the inspiring stories of your local awardees and tag @cacorrections to showcase their incredible contributions. 

Remembering those lost over the last year

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Read more stories of staff going above the call.