The publication is reproduced in full below:
HONORING COMMANDER MATTHEW MALDONADO
______
HON. JIMMY PANETTA
of california
in the house of representatives
Thursday, July 21, 2022
Mr. PANETTA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the retirement of Commander Matthew Maldonado from the Salinas Police Department after 29 years of service. The Salinas Police Department is an integral part of our community, ensuring the safety and wellbeing of all Salinas residents for more than 145 years.
Commander Maldonado demonstrated an early commitment to public safety and serving his community. Raised in the City of Salinas, he graduated from Salinas High School in 1989 and attended classes at Monterey Peninsula College and Hartnell College, going on to graduate from Union Institute and University with a bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice Management. Following in the footsteps of his father Richard Maldonado, who served with the Marina Department of Public Safety, he began his career with the Monterey County Sheriff's Department in 1992.
After graduating from the Gavilan Police Academy and a two-year assignment to the Correction Division, Commander Maldonado was hired by the Salinas Police Department and assigned to the Patrol unit working the midnight shift. While on the force, Commander Maldonado served in a variety of roles including patrol officer, crime scene investigator, and as a member of the Violence Suppression Unit/SWAT.
In 2004, he was promoted to Sergeant, where he supervised Patrol operations, the Violence Suppression Unit, the Narcotic Unit, and the Monterey County Joint Narcotics Team. Throughout his tenure, Commander Maldonado has been a strong leader with a commitment to public safety and education, having served as a firearms instructor for 17 years and as SWAT team leader-turned-commander for 18 years. He was also a founding sergeant of the California Department of Justice ``STING'' Task Force. Then-Sergeant Maldonado's teams were responsible for Operation Knock Out and Operation Snake Eyes, two successful wiretap cases into the Nuestra Familia criminal organization.
Matthew Maldonado was promoted to Commander in 2018. As a commander, he supervised patrol operations and served as the Hostage Negotiations Team Commander. For the last three years of his career, Commander Maldonado served as the SWAT Commander and was the commander in charge of the Northern California, South Bay Metro, High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Salinas Violence Suppression Task Force. His team conducted successful narcotics and gang investigations spanning from Monterey County to the North Bay area and most recently worked closely with the Salinas Police Department's detectives on the wiretap case Operation Black Widow, which reached as far as Yuma, Arizona and the southern border of California and Mexico.
Throughout his career, Commander Maldonado has been recognized for his outstanding contributions to the community. Along with earning the Monterey County Peace Officer Association's Award of Merit three times, he was also awarded the Salinas Police Department Outstanding Duty Award twice.
Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues in the House of Representatives to join me in congratulating Commander Matthew Maldonado for his years of service to our community on the Central Coast. I extend my gratitude to all those who selflessly dedicate their lives to serving their community. I extend my personal appreciation to Commander Matthew Maldonado and his dedication to the community of Salinas.
SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 168, No. 121(1), Congressional Record Vol. 168, No. 121(2)
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