Shafter cop is VFW Volunteer of the Year

Lionel Lopez of the Shafter Police Department was given the Volunteer of the Year award recently by Congressman T.J. Cox. Lopez received a certificate for his accomplishment at the local VFW Post 6742, accompanied by Commander Danny Rueda and the rest of the post.

Sergeant Lopez came to the Shafter Police Department in February 2000. Prior to joining the SPD, Lopez spent four years as a deputy sheriff in the Tulare County Sheriff's Department and five years as a police officer for the City of Lindsay.

He began his law enforcement career in 1991 as a reserve police officer for the City of Lindsay. Lopez completed his training and police academy and became a full-time officer for Lindsay. Lopez's areas of responsibility were Porterville, Springville, Strathmore, Lindsay, Woody, Ducor and the Tule Indian Reservation.

Lopez was promoted to the position of a senior officer in December of 2006, and then sergeant in 2008. He has experience as a field training officer, watch commander, gang officer and is court- certified as a gang expert and teaches about gangs when time permits.

Lopez was recognized by the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the office of Rep. T.J. Cox for all of his hard work on behalf of the VFW this past year. Lopez was involved in many fundraisers, as well as working at different events for Post 6742.