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Recognizing and honoring the outstanding service of Inspector Sonia Velazquez to the City of Philadelphia.
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The Council of the City of Philadelphia is pleased and proud to recognize and honor Inspector Sonia Velazquez on the occasion of her retirement following 30 years of loyal and dedicated service to the City of Philadelphia in the Philadelphia Police Department.
WHEREAS, Inspector Velazquez juggles her time as a member of the National Conference of Puerto Rican Women, Spanish American Law Enforcement Association, where she served as the first female president, was a Committee Member for Concilio for the Puerto Rican Day Parade, and as an Inspector in the Philadelphia Police Department; and
WHEREAS, Sonia was appointed to the Philadelphia Police Department on June 24th, 1985 and was assigned to the 26th Police District where she began her lustrous career. She was later promoted to Detective on June 24th, 1991, and was assigned to the Office of Equal Employment Opportunity. Shortly after, on August 11, 1995 she was promoted to Sergeant and assigned to HIU as a detective,hostage negotiator, and dignitary protection where she provided security protection for Nelson Mandela, George H. W. Bush, and other dignitaries from around the world; and
WHEREAS, She was later assigned to the Crime Prevention Unit and after she was promoted to Lieutenant on June 13th, 2000 she was assigned to the 24th District. In 2003, she was then promoted to Captain and was re-assigned to the 2nd District. After years of hard work and dedication she was promoted to Staff Inspector on May 5th, 2008 and was assigned to the Audit and Inspections Unit. Finally, on August 15th, 2013 Inspector Sonia Velazquez received her final assignment in the Philadelphia Police Academy Training Bureau and was assigned to the School District Office of School Safety; and
WHEREAS, Sonia is well respected by her superiors and colleagues, and her presence at the Philadelphia Police Department will be sorely missed. Her spirit and enthusiasm have been a permanent and positive influence, and she is held in high esteem by all. Sonia has made a positive impact on many people who have been enriched by her knowledge and enhanced by her wisdom; and
WHEREAS, On June 27, 2015 the City of Philadelphia will celebrate the over thirty years outstanding service that Inspector Velazquez gave the City of Philadelphia, and will be saying farewell to Inspector Sonia Velazquez as she begins a new chapter in her life; and
WHEREAS, We in this Council join in wishing Sonia well in any future endeavors and hope her retirement is filled with happiness, good health, and the joys of her two daughters, Lisa and Madeline, and mother, Maria Mendez as she happily retires to Pine Valley in the Northeast section of the City; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, THAT THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, Hereby recognizes and celebrates the thirty years of outstanding service that Inspector Velazquez has dedicated to the Philadelphia Police Department.
FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be sent to the Inspector Sonia Velazquez of the Philadelphia Police Department, as evidence of the sincere respect and admiration of this legislative body.
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