Dallas ISD Police Department honors four with Life Saving Award

When Officer Sergio Pacheco saw a vehicle driving the wrong way, he didn’t hesitate.

The driver then traveled through a stop sign and went into an intersection, eventually hitting Pacheco’s patrol car. The driver was found unresponsive, and Pacheco called for medical assistance. EMS arrived on scene and transported the driver to the hospital. said Albert Martinez, chief of police of the Dallas ISD Police Department.

“His decisive actions exemplify outstanding law enforcement service, directly contributing to saving a life and possibly saving lives of others,” Martinez said.

This heroic action, which occurred in June, earned Pacheco the Life Saving Award from the Dallas ISD Police Department. 

He is not alone. 

Officers Daniel Espinoza, Kimberly Gonzalez, and Sergeant Derrick Anderson were also recognized with the Life Saving Award, highlighting their actions during a time of distress.

In July, Espinoza, Gonzalez, and Anderson were responsible for saving a man who was found unconscious, allegedly due to a drug overdose. Not only were they able to revive him, they were able to keep him, and others, from harm when EMS arrived. 

“There is no doubt that these officers’ alertness, rapid intervention, and calm under pressure directly contributed to saving the life of this individual on this day,” Martinez said. 

These police officers were recognized at a back-to-school kickoff event hosted by the Dallas ISD Police Department at Wilmer-Hutchins High School.  

In addition to celebrating the achievements and strides the department has made, Martinez took time to look ahead to the year to come.

“You all do a great job serving our community and our schools,” he said. “I hope you got a lot of rest this summer, because it’s time to get back to work.”

Highlights for this year include:

• A new traffic unit for increased enforcement in school zones
• All officers will be trained and certified to respond to mental health crises

Also, during the event, Martinez highlighted officers who received commendations. They are:

• Detective Mario Reyna
• Officer Walter Gunn
• Officer Alex Dolce
• Officer Nicholas Franklin
• Officer Uzziel Avila
• Public Safety Officer Aysa Gordon
• Officer Cedric Roberts
• Officer Kirsten Clark
• Officer Tiffany McKinsey
• Officer Omar Sepulveda
• Officer Charles Ojeda 
• Officer Leilanni Espino
• Campus Safety Officer Randon Gray
• Public Safety Officer Fransel McCoy 
• Office of Emergency Management staff, Tomeka Staten
• Office of Emergency Management staff, Cindy Triplett
• Public Safety Officer Tracie Dade
• Lieutenant Bernard Johnson