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“TRIBUTE TO KEVIN GANO” mentioning the U.S. Dept of State was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E968 on May 13, 2005.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
TRIBUTE TO KEVIN GANO
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HON. GRACE F. NAPOLITANO
of california
in the house of representatives
Thursday, May 12, 2005
Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and pay tribute to Kevin Gano, who recently retired after more than 30 years of distinguished public service. His innovative approach to law enforcement has had a tremendous positive impact on the safety and gang presence in my hometown of Norwalk, California, for more than a decade and a half.
Kevin Gano entered the justice arena in 1973. Over the course of that decade in the California cities of West Covina and La Verne, he held a variety of positions as a uniformed officer ranging from patrol officer to major crimes investigator to field sergeant and watch commander. In 1987, he served as senior administrative assistant to the City Manager in Upland, California.
In 1989, Kevin was named Norwalk's first director of the Department of Public Safety. He immediately began working to combat a gang warfare problem that had gotten so bad that area schools had taken to conducting drive-by shooting drills during which students would practice taking cover under their desks. He introduced the ``Silver Bullet,'' an RV that was deployed to at-risk communities to establish a visible police presence in the areas of suspected gang or drug activity. He worked to hold parents of gang members responsible for the children's actions. He targeted taggers--gang members who sprayed graffiti around the community. He led the way as the first leaders in the area to push for a gang injunction that imposed curfews for gang members, prohibited them from communing together in public and carrying items that could be used as weapons. The measure imposed fines and jail time for offenders. He did all this knowing that he could eventually become a target of the gang members, and he was. In July 1994, one gang painted ``Gano 187'' on an alley wall, a reference to state's penal code for homicide.
His methods were so extraordinarily successful that in 1995, the FBI named Norwalk one of the 25 safest communities in the country, an honor it would receive for the next three years. Kevin was not complacent, even after crime, graffiti and truancy statistics fell dramatically in the city. He remained committed to combating the root of the problem. In 1995, he helped establish the Public Safety Cadet Youth Program that is still in place today. The program is aimed at giving youngsters leadership and problem-solving skills and a sense of responsibility while increasing their self-esteem through positive social interaction.
Kevin's public role was not limited to his work for the city. The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors not only appointed him a commissioner and vice chair for the California Department of Children and Families but took portions of his program and implemented it in other areas around the State. California's governor appointed him to serve on the Metropolitan State Hospital Advisory Committee. And the State Department of Juvenile Justice tapped Kevin as an advisor on youth crime prevention and intervention strategies. His expertise in this area was so well recognized that he was called upon to write two bills that have since become State law. I am proud to say that I authored one of those bills, which have subpoena power to school truancy boards.
But it is Kevin's personal and behind-the-scenes approach that makes him more than a public servant. On an annual basis, he has unofficially adopted numerous Norwalk children and their families by providing them with basic essentials and resources they need to make it through their daily lives. He has always been willing to lend a hand and spend hours off the clock counseling or advising youngsters and parents alike.
Kevin stepped down from his position on April 15, 2005. The impact of his work will continue to endure in the city. You can see it just by walking around, an activity that was risky in sections of the city when he came to Norwalk 16 years ago. His legacy also manifests itself in the lives of children who are not only staying alive and away from gangs but making a positive impact on society. Not surprisingly, two of the children who have emulated his commitment to public service are his own: his son Kevin is a police officer in the City of Buena Park and his daughter Jeannette is a Recreation Supervisor with the City of Claremont. After 30 years dedicated to making his community safer, I know Kevin will enjoy the opportunity to spend more time with them and his wife of 34 years, Darlene. As a friend and a resident of Norwalk for more than 40 years, I thank him on behalf of my 38th Congressional District for all he has done to improve the lives of our community.
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