Ex-Marine Picked as Aliso's Top Deputy

Officials honored their Aliso Viejo 2011 Deputy Sheriff of the Year during Wednesday night's City Council meeting.

Council members recognized Deputy Gil Torrez for his 15 years of service to the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.

Torrez, an Aliso Viejo resident, was chosen by his fellow deputies and serves as the Aliso Viejo Terrorism Liaison Officer.  

“He’s deserving of this award because he’s a giver,” said Lt. Bob Osborne, city chief of police services. “His commitment to public service started when he was a young man.”

From 1990 to 1994, Torrez served in the Marine Corp. He was deployed twice, serving in Iraq in Operation Desert Storm and in Somalia where his platoon helped keep local militia away from UN food sources.

“He’s a genuine 100 percent deputy sheriff,” Osborne said. “He represents the best and the brightest and that's what we in the Orange County Sheriff’s Department strive for.”

Torrez has been previously honored with the Sheriff's Departments medal for lifesaving when he helped prevent the death of a child who nearly drowned.

Read Osborne’s full comments at this end of this article.

Other business

— Visitor numbers are up at the Aliso Viejo Aquatic Center and expenditures are down, according to recent figures released Wednesday.

A total of 13,414 people used the center from April 30 to Oct. 2. That’s up from 12,245 in 2010.

The 2011 expenditures were down about 65 percent over 2010. Last year expenditures were $86,581 — in 2010 they were $132,678.

That’s a savings of $46,096 less than what was budgeted, said Karen Crocker Community Services Director.

”Those two trends speak volumes of how well it’s run,” said Councilmember Phil Tsunoda.

“So kudos,” he added.

Snack bar revenue also increased 24 percent, rising from $25,430.45 in 2010 to $31,494.30 in 2011.

Total revenue stayed flat, dropping only about $427. In 2010 total revenue was $105,431.34 and in 2011 it was $105,004.92.

The aquatic center 2012 season is scheduled to begin May 5 and runs through Sept. 30.

“It looks like we're going in the right direction, so keep doing what you’re doing,” said Mayor Pro Tem Bill Phillips. 

— A new way for volunteers to connect with volunteer groups in Aliso Viejo could be on the horizon.

Councilmember Phil Tsunoda said he plans to propose a program through which locals could meet up with local community organizations.

Calling the idea "The Aliso Viejo Exchange", Tsunoda plans to bring the program before the city council during the Feb. 1 meeting.

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Below is the transcript of Lt. Bob Osborne speech about the 2011 Deputy Sheriff of the Year — Gil Torrez.

"Gil has been committed to public service for most of his life.

To Gil, the words service, duty and honor are more than just words, they are a way of life.

His public service started in 1990 when he joined the United States Marine Corps. Gil served from 1990 through 1994.

During his service as a member of the United States Marines, he was deployed twice overseas, the first time as a member of Operation Desert Storm, and the second in Somalia, where his unit replaced the embattled Army Rangers who had just been involved in heavy and protracted fighting with local rebel units.

In 1992, as a U.S. Marine, he tried out for, and was accepted into the battalion’s scout/sniper platoon.

As part of that platoon, he worked in small teams, and many times worked alone, in order to gather intelligence behind enemy lines and report it back to headquarters in detailed reports.

Gil also played a key role in Somalia, where his platoon kept local militia away from UN food sources through use of precision fire.

Gil has been a member of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department for over 15 years. He was assigned to patrol the city of Aliso Viejo in June 2004 and has been an exemplary deputy since that time.

Gil has served in many capacities in Aliso Viejo police services.

Some of his assignments have included: Patrol, Field Training Officer. (He) has been selected as Selected Enforcement Team member twice and serves as the Aliso Viejo Terrorism Liaison officer.

Gil is also bilingual and regularly uses his Spanish skills to assist other units in the field.

Gil has received several commendations as result of the work that he has done here in Aliso Viejo. Gil has received the Orange County Department's medal for lifesaving along with a partner, as a result of saving the life of a child that was the victim of a near drowning.

Gil has been married to his wonderful wife Silvia for almost 19 years and has three children, ages 10-15. On his days off, he enjoys spending time at home with the family, watching the kids’ soccer games and intends to start working on an old Jeep that he has purchased for his son.

Ladies and gentlemen, Gil Torrez, your 2011 Deputy Sheriff of the Year."