Full Notification

Los Angeles County Deputy Sheriff Daniel Reyes assigned to East Los Angeles Station will be the first Deputy Sheriff to receive the highest honor from the United States Attorney General’s Office, The Law Enforcement Congressional Badge of Bravery. On April 1, 2014, at 10:00 am, the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department will hold an award ceremony for Deputy Daniel Reyes at the Sheriff’s Headquarters.

Every day, federal, state, and local law enforcement officers engage in exceptional acts of bravery while in the line of duty. Often, such acts place the officers involved at personal risk of injury or result in their sustaining a physical injury. To honor these acts of bravery, Congress passed the Law Enforcement Congressional Badge of Bravery Act of 2008 (Public Law 110-298), creating the Federal Law Enforcement Congressional Badge of Bravery and the State and Local Law Enforcement Congressional Badge of Bravery. The act establishes an award to honor exceptional acts of bravery in the line of duty by federal, state, and local law enforcement officers. The medals are awarded annually by the U.S. Attorney General and are presented by the recipients' Congressional representatives.

On January 11, 2011, while on patrol, Deputies Daniel Reyes and Mohamed Ahmed saw a white compact car parked along a red curb. They stopped alongside and Deputy Ahmed asked the driver why she was parked there. Deputy Reyes noticed a male sitting in the front passenger seat and decided to contact him. He advised Deputy Ahmed to contact the driver while he contacted the passenger. As Deputy Reyes approached the open passenger window, he recognized the male as a "Lott 13" gang member with the moniker of "Husky." The subject appeared nervous and began fidgeting around in his seat.

As the subject started moving around he reached for his pants pocket and center console of the car. Deputy Reyes opened the car door and ordered the subject to exit. As the subject stepped out, he turned his back toward Deputy Reyes. He pushed his body backward then began to run. Deputy Reyes was able to grab the subject’s jacket and both fell to the ground near the front of the vehicle.
At that moment, Deputy Ahmed, who was seated in the police vehicle, realized that he had lost sight of Deputy Reyes. He exited the car and saw Deputy Reyes on the ground struggling with the subject. He ran to assist Deputy Reyes, and was almost immediately shot and disabled by the subject, who unbeknown to both deputies was concealing a handgun.

Deputy Reyes, believing that the subject had just shot and killed his partner, saw the subject turn toward him holding a handgun. He was able to grab the gun's muzzle and push it away as they both struggled over the weapon. Deputy Reyes continued to struggle with the subject and was eventually able to twist the gun away from his body as two additional shots were fired. Deputy Reyes was ultimately able to remove his service weapon and fired two rounds killing the subject. He was then able to call for assistance. Deputy Ahmed survived his wounds.