'Live PD' star EPPD Officer Andrea Zendejas named El Paso 2018 Officer of the Year

Daniel Borunda | El Paso Times

Show Caption Hide Caption El Paso Sheriff's Office County Law Enforcement Memorial The El Paso County Sheriff's Office held their annual County Law Enforcement Memorial Tuesday during National Police Week.

An El Paso police officer often featured on the "Live PD" television show has been named 2018 Law Enforcement Officer of the Year by a local veterans group.

Northeast patrol Officer Andrea Zendejas has gained a national following by viewers of the reality policing show airing on the A&E cable network.

Zendejas was named officer of the year by the El Paso Chapter of the Military Order of the World Wars. The patriotic veterans organization honors law enforcement annually.

This year's awards were presented May 19 by Paula Mitchell, chairwoman of the group's law and order committee, and retired Lt. Col. Pauline Ballesteros, commander of the group's El Paso chapter.

Beyond humbled and grateful for this honor 🖤💙🖤 https://t.co/PhzwLNFyWJ — Andrea Zendejas (@OfcAZendejas) May 19, 2018

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Zendejas was chosen for an exceptional work ethic that outproduced others on her shift despite missing more than five months in 2017 due to surgery, Mitchell said.

“She is also an outstanding field training officer and has been featured on 'Live PD' and held as a positive role model for female viewers," Mitchell said.

"Live PD" viewers have commented on social media that Zendejas has a patient, approachable but firm manner in dealing with the public. The show airs Fridays and Saturdays.

Zendejas had more than 60 arrests, checked 484 adults and 166 vehicles, seized four guns and her work helped shut down a bar where drugs were being sold, Mitchell said.

The winners are selected from nominations made by El Paso law enforcement agencies.

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Others awards were:

Law Enforcement Innovation Award — Officer Curtis Whitener of the El Paso Police Training Academy.

Mitchell said that Whitener developed a course to improve officer emotional wellness that was adopted statewide. Whitener also created a course on dog behavior that has helped reduce fatal police shootings of dogs.

Humanitarian of the Year — U.S. Border Patrol Agent Joseph Ortiz worked with New Missions ministry to raise money and install drinking water wells in Haiti, Mitchell said.

Law Enforcement Units of the Year — The El Paso police Mission Valley Criminal Investigations Division/Tactical Unit and the El Paso County Sheriff's Office Major Crimes Unit were selected for their success in solving crimes.

The Sheriff's Office Major Crimes Unit has solved all its homicides in the past two years, Mitchell said.

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The Mission Valley Criminal Investigations Division handles burglaries, robberies and other crimes.

The Mission Valley team had cleared-by-arrest rates of 75 percent for robberies, 47 percent for burglary-larceny cases and 25 percent for car burglaries, Mitchell said, citing figures submitted by police.

Daniel Borunda may be reached at 546-6102; dborunda@elpasotimes.com; @BorundaDaniel on Twitter.