PBA Gala Honors Officer of the Year and Law Enforcement
By Police Chief Fred Maas
Photos by Richard C. Schulman

On Saturday evening, May 20, 2006, the annual Police Benevolent Association (PBA) Gala was held at the Miami Beach Wyndham Hotel. This annual event that is sold out every year, honors the heroes of law enforcement from the previous year and ultimately selects from among them, the Officer of the Year for 2006. This year was no exception as remarkable stories of great arrests, heroism and life saving acts of courage were put to video re-enactment. In the end a difficult choice, but the winner was Miami Dade Police Officer Eduardo Gonzalez for his life saving rescue of a mother and her child being held hostage by an armed robber and carjacking suspect.

This year’s event had special meaning as the day before the event on Friday, May 19, three (3) brand new police recruits graduated from the police academy for the Sunny Isles Beach Police Department. As a reward for their successful completion and graduation of the 6 month long academy, the three young men were invited to attend the PBA Gala to witness first hand some real police work, bravery and heroism and a night to remember to start their careers. Eyes wide open and in constant awe of all that was going on around them is a pretty accurate description of their reaction. They were extremely grateful for the opportunity to witness first hand this great event, recognizing officers throughout Dade County.

And as usual the City of Sunny Isles Beach Commission was present in support of law enforcement and to be recognized for their continued support of law enforcement and leadership role in the community. The Sunny Isles Beach City Commission is recognized within the Dade County Law Enforcement Community for their continued “support of their cops.”

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