They also plan to establish the Sergeant Cesar Sandoval Scholarship at the Butte Community College Police Academy. They plan to hold the event again next year.
Butte County, California – Community members came together in full force Friday to support the mental health of local police.
Dozens of people ran the course today to raise awareness in memory of a former Chico police sergeant who took his life last year.
Action News Now spoke with Butte County Probation Officer Brian Rodrigo, a friend of the late Cesar Sandoval, about why he chose to host the tournament.
“I’m a pretty avid golfer. Cesar and I have played golf off and on over the years. He was fun to play with. He’s always cracking jokes. He’s a comedian People who know Cesar say he’s an interesting guy, so we thought what better way to raise awareness than with a golf tournament like today? I am still overwhelmed by the support I received,” Rodrigo said.
Action News Now spoke with Jessica Sandoval, wife of the late Cesar. She talks about the hardships her family has faced since Cesar took his own life, and how speaking out about what happened can help others facing similar situations. He told us about it.
“But ultimately, I think what I can do to improve this situation and give myself purpose is to talk about it. Because we need to speak clearly about this, and that’s what I “We are not going to be silent about suicide,” Jessica said. .
Jessica said she also participates in a support group called Survivors of Blue Suicide, which unites families and colleagues of police officers who have died by suicide.
Chico Police Chief Billy Aldridge spoke about some of the resources the county has to assist first responders.
“It takes a special person to do these jobs. We have a very good peer support program in this county through incident debriefing with a peer support program and someone who can address it. “First responders,” Aldridge said.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says law enforcement officers and firefighters are more likely to die by suicide than people in the line of duty. The Butte Strong First Responder Wellness Unit said the Butte County Sheriff’s Office provided 248 hours of therapy to local first responders and their families in 2022.
They plan to use the money raised to give back to the community by funding multiple scholarships, including one at Willows High School, where Cesar attended.
They also plan to establish the Sergeant Cesar Sandoval Scholarship at the Butte Community College Police Academy. They plan to hold the event again next year.
