Annual inspection recognizes Watsonville officers devotion to duty

Pressed and polished and surrounded by family and friends, Watsonville police officers stood for inspection Wednesday morning.

The department also recognized many of its members and a few civilians for duty “above and beyond” during a ceremony that’s been a tradition for more than two decades.

“(Watsonville residents) can take pride in the department and in those they have chosen to protect them,” said Marina Police Chief Eddie Rodriguez, addressing the crowd that filled the sanctuary at Green Valley Christian Center after the inspection.

Rodriguez, a leader in the Watsonville department for many years before moving to Marina, said budget cuts have put police departments in “survival mode,” a situation that can’t be sustained.

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