The Alpine Veterans of Foreign wars post presented their Law Enforcement Officer of the Year award for 2020 to Alpine Deputy Sheriff Martin Moreno on Jan. 8 and will be presenting their Firefighter of the Year 2020 award to Firefighter-Paramedic Joe Lavigne on Jan. 18.
Post Commander Jack Gauthier said it was an honor to present Moreno with the award.
“Deputy Moreno has distinguished himself in the service to our community through devoted service above and beyond that of his fellow law enforcement officers,” Gauthier said.
Moreno, he said, has been integral to the success of community outreach programs throughout the greater Alpine area as well as helping to recover stolen vehicles, fight identity theft and participate in drug-related offense arrests.
“We congratulate Deputy Moreno for his dedicated service to the citizens of the greater Alpine community,” Gauthier said.
On Monday, Gauthier and other post officials will be awarding the Firefighter of the Year 2020 award to Lavigne in a closed ceremony at the Alpine Fire station.
An Alpine native, Lavigne first began his career at the Mount Laguna Fire department, while completing Fire Academy in Pine Valley and later followed up by completing the Paramedic program at Southwestern College.
In addition to serving with Barona Fire department, Lavigne also spent a decade with the Lemon Grove Fire department that later consolidated with El Cajon and La Mesa fire departments to become Heartland Fire and Rescue before finally coming home to work at Alpine Fire Protection District.
