Joe Vargas Sr. - Mexican Immigrant, Santa Ana's First Hispanic Police Officer, 36 Years of Service

Remember my Name - Heroes in Military and Law Enforcement

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As a teenager, Joe Vargas Sr. immigrated from Mexico to Orange County, CA and started his life there. After working various jobs, he learned English and received his high school diploma. He got a degree in Police Science and eventually joined Stranton PD after eventually ending up at Santa Ana PD.
Being it's first Hispanic officer, his unconventional approach to policing earned the respect of the local Latino population. This method later became known as "community policing" and has been adopted by many police agencies throughout the United States.
Joe Sr. left a legacy in his community but also in his family, where two of his sons and two of his grandsons also served careers in law enforcement. In this episode, I interview Joe Jr. about his father's amazing life and about his own career with the Anaheim Police Department.

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