On October 20, 1971, Police Sergeant Ben Mendis suffered a fatal heart attack while working a difficult case.
He was found collapsed at his desk at 1541 Civic Center Drive.
Sergeant Mendis had served with the Santa Clara Police Department for 15 years and was assigned to the Detective Bureau. He was a U.S. Army veteran.
In his honor, current Police Department have a Hero Workout of the Day (WOD). The workout includes numbers that represent the date of Sergeant Mendis' end of watch (10/20/1971):
10 rounds
- 20 air squats
- 7 burpees
- 1 lap around the Police Department parking lot (400m)
You are invited to join this Hero Workout from a location of your choice.
In addition, Police Department personnel in uniform today will be encouraged to wear a tie as a sign of respect for Sergeant Mendis’ sacrifice.
