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Santa Cruz Sheriff's Office mourns the loss of fallen friend and officer 1 year later

Santa Cruz Sheriff's Office mourns the loss of fallen friend and officer 1 year later
INFORMATION ARE ASKED TO CALL THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE.# ## THIS SUNDAY, JUNE 6, WILL BE ONE YEAR SINCE SANTA CRUZ COUNTY SHERIFF SARGEANT DAMON GUTZWILLER WAS KILLED IN THE LINE OF DUTY. IT HAPPENED IN B EN LOMOND, WHILE INVESTIGATING A REPORT OF A SUSPICIOUS VAN LOADED WITH GUNS AND EXPLOSIVES. ACTION NEWS EIG HT REPORTER PHIL GOMEZ, SPOKE WITH SHERIFF, JIM HART ABOUT HOW HIS DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN WORKING THROUGH THE TRAGIC LOSS. "We had him working overtime that day.e H ouldsh have been home, off duty. And so, I've always thought about that..." EACH MORNGNI SHERIFF JIM HART PUTS ON THIS BRACELET HONORING SERGEANT DAMON GUTZWILLER. "This isn't mesothing I'll ever get over, but I'm just trying to work my way through it and help all of my staff members work through it as well." THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT WILL OBSERVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE ON SUNDAY AT 2:26 PM, THE EXACT TIME THE OFFICER DOWN CALL WENT OUT. "We're asking that the public allows us to do this just as an office. Next year, obviously, if we're through this pandemic, we'll invite anybody who want to attend that, b ut this year, we're just asking for it to be a Sheriff's personnel only" THE SAN LORENZO VALLEY OFFERED PPORSUT TO THE GUTZWILLER FAMILY BY COLLECTING MONEY FOR HIS TWO CHILDREN. THE YOUNGEST WAS BORN ON HIS BIRTHD, AY JUST 23 DAYS AFTER HE WAS KILL. ED "We raised $20,000, which su rprised us butt ireally shouldn't have surprised us because that's the type of community we have" FRIDAY MORNING 6 MOTORCYCLE RIDERS PULL ED UP TO THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE. THEY'RE PART OF 'BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY', A GROUP WHO TRAVEL ONCE A YEAR ACROSS COUNTRY ON AN 'END OF WAH TC RIDE' TOON HOR FALLEN OFFICERS. THESE ARE THE 338 FACES OF THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO IN 20-20 LOST THEIR LIVESN I THE LINE OF DUTY-- SERGEANT DAMON GUTZWILLER IS AMONG THEM "It's loa t of emotion. I could tell right off the bat. There was a lotf o emotion and I hope, I did what I did" SINCE 1925, FOUR DEPUTIES HAVE MADE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE WHILE ON DUTY. ON SUNDAY, E THSHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT WILL UNVEIL A PLAQUE on this stone WITH THEIR NAMES - UNDERSHERF IF RICHARD ROUNTREE, SHERIFF HOWARD TRAFTON, DE
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Santa Cruz Sheriff's Office mourns the loss of fallen friend and officer 1 year later
On Sunday, June 6, it will be one year since Santa Cruz County Sheriff Sgt. Damon Gutzwiller was killed in the line of duty.It happened in Ben Lomond while he was investigating a report of a suspicious van loaded with guns and explosives."We had him working overtime that day. He should have been home, off duty. And so, I've always thought about that…" said Santa Cruz County Sheriff Jim Hart. Every morning, Hart puts on a bracelet honoring Gutzwiller."This isn't something I'll ever get over, but I'm just trying to work my way through it and help all of my staff members work through it as well," Hart said.The sheriff's office will observe a moment of silence on Sunday at 2:26 p.m., the exact time the officer down call went out."We're asking that the public allows us to do this just as an office. Next year, obviously, if we're through this pandemic, we'll invite anybody who wants to attend that, but this year, we're just asking for it to be a sheriff's personnel only," Hart said.The San Lorenzo Valley offered support to the Gutzwiller family by collecting money for his two children."We raised $20,000, which surprised us but it really shouldn't have surprised us because that's the type of community we have," said Les Gardner of Felton.Friday morning, six motorcycle riders pulled up to the sheriff's office.They're part of Beyond the Call of Duty, a group that travels once a year across the country on an End of Watch Ride to honor fallen officers.These are the 338 faces of the men and women who in 2020 lost their lives in the line of duty. Gutzwiller is among them."It's a lot of emotion. I could tell right off the bat. There was a lot of emotion and I hope, I did what I did," said Beyond the Call of Duty Chairman Jagrut Shah.Since 1925, four Santa Cruz County deputies have made the ultimate sacrifice while on duty.On Sunday, the sheriff's office will also unveil a plaque with all of their names on it: Undersheriff Richard Rountree, Sheriff Howard Trafton, Deputy Michael Grey, Deputy Michael Grey and Gutzwiller.

On Sunday, June 6, it will be one year since Santa Cruz County Sheriff Sgt. Damon Gutzwiller was killed in the line of duty.

It happened in Ben Lomond while he was investigating a report of a suspicious van loaded with guns and explosives.

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"We had him working overtime that day. He should have been home, off duty. And so, I've always thought about that…" said Santa Cruz County Sheriff Jim Hart.

Every morning, Hart puts on a bracelet honoring Gutzwiller.

"This isn't something I'll ever get over, but I'm just trying to work my way through it and help all of my staff members work through it as well," Hart said.

The sheriff's office will observe a moment of silence on Sunday at 2:26 p.m., the exact time the officer down call went out.

"We're asking that the public allows us to do this just as an office. Next year, obviously, if we're through this pandemic, we'll invite anybody who wants to attend that, but this year, we're just asking for it to be a sheriff's personnel only," Hart said.

The San Lorenzo Valley offered support to the Gutzwiller family by collecting money for his two children.

"We raised $20,000, which surprised us but it really shouldn't have surprised us because that's the type of community we have," said Les Gardner of Felton.

Friday morning, six motorcycle riders pulled up to the sheriff's office.

They're part of Beyond the Call of Duty, a group that travels once a year across the country on an End of Watch Ride to honor fallen officers.

These are the 338 faces of the men and women who in 2020 lost their lives in the line of duty. Gutzwiller is among them.

"It's a lot of emotion. I could tell right off the bat. There was a lot of emotion and I hope, I did what I did," said Beyond the Call of Duty Chairman Jagrut Shah.

Since 1925, four Santa Cruz County deputies have made the ultimate sacrifice while on duty.

On Sunday, the sheriff's office will also unveil a plaque with all of their names on it: Undersheriff Richard Rountree, Sheriff Howard Trafton, Deputy Michael Grey, Deputy Michael Grey and Gutzwiller.