Police
Officer / Traffic Motor Officer Mark L. Graf
California Peace Officer
(Retired)
Injured On Duty
IN REMEMBRANCE
SEPTEMBER
11, 2001
Current:
1998 - Present
Director for Public
Safety Training Programs at Bakersfield College, Bakersfield
California. Bakersfield College Public Safety include: Law
Enforcement training in partnership with local law enforcement
agencies, Fire Technology. As well as the STC Correctional Programs in
partnership with the North Kern Training Center.
Military Career
United
States Army. 1974 -1977 (Four Years)
Two and half years Overseas: Tours of Duties: West
Berlin, Berlin Brigade, 287th MP Co. Security Platoon.
Third Infantry Division, 3rd MP Co. 571st MP Co.
Seventh Infantry Division. (Light Infantry Division.)
Military
Awards:
United
States Army:
United States Army Commendation Medal for Valor. Good
Conduct Medal, Berlin Occupational Medal, National Defense Medal.
To view US Army Commendation Medal for Valor: Go to the bottom of the
page.
Foreign
Military Awards:
West German Army Shooting Medal in Bronze.
Law Enforcement Overview
Santa Barbara County
Santa Maria Police
A sworn Peace Officer for approximately twenty years.
Extensive training and experience in Special Weapons and Tactics,
(SWAT). Advanced certification in Scuba Diving and Rescue Diving.
F.B.I trained combat shooting instructor. In 1985 was Awarded
the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Department's, H. Thomas
Guerry "Medal for Valor"
(See Valor Citation below)
Certified
California Motorcycle Safety Program Instructor. Motorcycle Officer,
Traffic Officer: Extensive training and investigations of traffic
collisions. Advanced California Peace Officer Standards in Training, (P.O.S.T.) Certificate # A20253.
Completed the intensive
course in California for the P.O.S.T. Master Instructor Development
Program, Class Four.
Member
of the United States Parachute Association, Static Jumps and Freefall,
USPA Number # 73989. Member of the Professional Association of Diving
Instructors P.A.D.I. Certificate # 17980 (SCUBA), Advanced
International Open Water Diver.
Mutual Aid /Civil Unrest Deployment
Campaign Against Marijuana Planting (CAMP); Eureka
CA. Humboldt County. 7 day deployment. Assigned as a door gunner
in our Huey's for protection for our inserted teams as well as from
ground fire (small arms fire / weapons) from the marijuana growers.
Several thousand pounds of Marijuana was seized.
Vandenberg Air Force Base, CA. 4 day deployment: Anti-MX
Missile Demonstration. Several hundred arrested.
Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant, Port San Luis Obispo. CA. 12 day
deployment: Anti-Nuclear Power
Demonstration. Several hundred arrested.
Mid-Air aircraft collision San Luis Obispo, CA. 4 day deployment: Mid-Air
aircraft collision involving a small private plane and a Commercial
turbo prop aircraft. Assisted with the crash site and recovery of the
twenty nine (29) victims. Recipient of the San Luis Sheriffs Department "Meritorious
Service Award"
Los Angeles CA: LA Riots, 7 day deployment: Hawthorne,
Compton area: Los Angeles. Recipient of City
of Hawthorne "Meritorious
Service Award"
Citation
Medal for Valor
H.
T H O M A S G U E R R Y
AWARD
FOR VALOR
Sheriff's Deputy
Mark L. Graf
Santa Barbara Sheriff's
Department
"On
September 30, 1984 Deputies Mark Graf and Ralph Swasey responded with
other members of the North County Special Enforcement Team to a call
of a mentally disturbed person holding a hostage at the Riverside
trailer park in Buellton, California.
The
sequence of events required Deputies Graf and Swasey to make a crisis
entry into the trailer in an attempt to rescue the hostage. As
Deputy Graf entered the trailer, he was confronted by an armed man
just a few feet away. Holding his fire, he sought cover and
while doing so, located the victim in a bedroom. There he took
up a defensive position. When Deputy Swasey attempted entry he
also saw the armed man. He quickly jumped from the trailer and
took up a defensive position at the doorway to protect Deputy
Graf. Deputy Graf then radioed he was trapped, but that the
hostage was safe. In order to get the victim out without the use
of firearms, he called for a diversionary device to be used.
As the device went off, the armed suspect began to
advance upon the officers with his pistol extended and aimed in a
firing position. To protect both the victim and themselves,
Officer Graf used his weapon, which resulted in the
exchange of gunfire with the suspect and subsequent fatal gunshot
wounds to the suspect . As a result of their actions, the victim was rescued
unharmed.
Both
deputies represent the finest the Sheriff's Department has to offer by
the way they conducted themselves, even at the risk of their own
lives. Their primary concern was for the safe extraction of the
hostage. The manner in which they handled this extremely
stressful situation speaks highly of their character, bravery and
level of training.
Mark
Graf has been a Sheriff's Deputy since 1979. Along with his
duties as a member of the Special Enforcement Team, Mark is one of the
team leaders of the Underwater Search and Recovery Team. In
addition, he is an instructor at Allan Hancock College.
In
recognition for his act of bravery in the face of this life
threatening situation the Santa Barbara Citizens' Council on Crime is
proud to award to Mark Graf the 1985 H. Thomas Guerry Award for
Valor."
Professional Career:
U. S. Army Military Police Officer serving in West
Berlin and West Germany as well as Stateside.
In 1978 became
a Peace Officer in the State of California. Employed as a Deputy
Sheriff with the County of Santa Barbara. Assignments included:
Jail, Court, Patrol, Field Training Officer, Detective, specializing
in death investigations, Team leader for the North County (SCUBA)
Underwater Dive and Recovery Team and a member of the Special
Emergency Team assigned as the first member of the entry team.
During this seven year tenure with the Santa Barbara
County Sheriffs Department, was awarded the "Meritorious Service Award"
and was the
first Santa Barbara County Deputy Sheriff in the history of Santa
Barbara County to be the recipient of the "Medal for Valor". This was awarded as the result of a
Hostage rescue by an armed suspect which resulted in the exchange of
gunfire with the suspect and subsequent fatal gunshot wounds to the
suspect and the rescue of the Hostage unharmed.
In
1985 became employed as a Police Officer with the Santa Maria Police
Department. During this nine and half years with Santa Maria,
assignments included: Patrol, Field Training Officer, Special
Emergency Response Team, (SWAT), Gang Suppression detail and the
Traffic Bureau, assigned as a Motor Officer.
During this tenure in law enforcement, has provided
training to numerous officers and students in the advancement of their
careers. Currently possesses a Masters Degree in Human Resource
Management with an emphasis on training and career
development. Bachelors Degree in Psychology with an
emphasis on counseling and training, both from Chapman University.
Has a Life time
Community College Service Instructional Certificate and has obtained
several P.O.S.T. certifications.
In
1982 to present was employed as an instructor within the California
Community College, providing law enforcement training,
instruction, career development in law enforcement academies; a
Recruit Training Officer / Instructor contributing to the evaluation,
career and personal development of the students; and Associate Faculty
member in the Administration of Justice degree program, providing
career and academic guidance to those enrolled in college course work.
By
virtue of his advanced work experience in law enforcement has, on
several occasions, had the honor of providing Presidential
Security Protection for President Ronald Reagan, as well as Vice
President Dan Quayle and assisted with the Executive Protection
of the Queen of England.
1994,
Honorable Retired , Injured on duty.
1998.
Selected and appointed as the Director for Public Safety Training
Programs at Bakersfield College, Bakersfield California.
Bakersfield College Public Safety Programs include: Law
Enforcement training, pre-service
(Academies) and in-service training in partnership with local law
enforcement agencies, to include, Fire Technology Programs and
Correctional Programs.
Published
Articles and Projects Developed
-
Master Instructor Development Program,
California Peace Officer's Standard and Training. The program
provides instruction for the systemic approach to assess and develop
training needs. A fifty week course, He was one of sixty
instructors nominated to attend. This was a "Train the
Trainer" course and the project was for police motorcycle
instructors titled: "Law Enforcement
In Service
Motorcycle Instructors Course". September 1997
-
"The Tactical
Edge", Cover page.
Article. "Development
of the Santa Maria Police Department's Special Emergency Response
Team" (SWAT).
Fall 1988
-
Developed, authored and
implemented the "Santa Maria
Police Department's Special Emergency Response Team" (SWAT). He was responsible for the need assessment,
selection requirements, testing, equipment selection, policy and
procedures guidelines, and the on-going training needs and
requirements of the ten officer team. 1985-1986
-
Developed, authored and
implemented the "Santa Barbara
County Sheriff's Department's Underwater Search and Recovery (SCUBA)
Dive Team". He was responsible for the selection
requirements, physical and medical testing requirements, training,
policy and procedures, safety and team leadership for the twelve
officer and civilian members. 1983-1985
Peace
Officer's I have known Memorial
Page:
Arlington
National Cemetery
The
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall
Medal of Honor Society
Berlin US Military Veterans
Association
U.S.
Army Special Forces
US
Army Military Police Home Page
Bureau
of Crime Statistics
Central
Intelligence Agency
Federal
Bureau of Investigation
Law
Enforcement Search Information
Bakersfield
College Home Page
Santa
Barbara Sheriff Home Page
Santa
Maria Police Department Home Page
Nation wide Peace Officer Down Home Page
My
Brothers' 1961 Buick home page
Specialized
Bodyguard and Close Protection Service
Don't you just love a Z06
Corvette,
And
this one is mine !
President Ronald Reagan
-
The 40th President of the United States
-
-
Arlington National Cemetery
-
INTERESTING LINKS
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