State groups honor Cocopah investigator

  Between investigating crimes and making arrests, the lead investigator for Cocopah Police Department gets a jump start on preventing crime by telling stories, playing games, doing puzzles and telling little ones that law enforcement officers are a child's friend.

  Lead investigator David Perez truly loves every aspect of serving the tribal department. But he's quick to say that weekly visits to the Cocopah Head Start are definitely his favorite part of the job. Those visits are also a big reason Perez recently received a major statewide honor for outstanding work.

  "I love reading books to the kids, sitting down to play blocks with them or just anything to show that I'm not just a police officer, but a good person, too.

  "My approach is definitely to go out and build relationships, saying 'Hey, we're not enemies. We're friends.' Then someday that child can say 'He's not a bad guy. He comes and talks to me all the time. He gives me coloring books.'"

  As lead investigator for an investigations division with only one officer - him - Perez is certainly never hurting for duties to tackle. But that doesn't keep the lively and friendly investigator from doing all kinds of community outreach, whether it's visiting schools in Somerton, manning booths for the police department at area events or simply shooting some hoops with Cocopah teens.

  His tradition of going above and beyond for the badge is why Perez was recently named the top law enforcement officer in Arizona Indian Country. Perez was honored as being Officer of the Year by the Intertribal Council of Arizona and the Indian Country Intelligence Network.

  Any law enforcement officers, including those working for the FBI and Bureau of Indian Affairs, who works within Arizona's 21 tribal communities are eligible for the award.

  The honor certainly earned a loud round of praise back here at home, including from Cocopah Police Chief James Spurgeon.

  "Our investigative division is a success because of Dave's professionalism, enthusiasm and genuine concern for the community that he serves. But most of all, he always manages to keep what's important in perspective. He always takes the time to participate in positive community events and not just focus on the negative aspects of law enforcement."

  Perez began working for the Cocopah PD two years ago. Prior to this post, he was a corrections officer at the state prison near San Luis, Ariz., serving in the maximum-security yard.

  Perez called his recent honor proof that law enforcement, as he's always said, is truly not a thankless job.

  "This means everything to me. It means everything I've done to this point is well worth it. This award is something that wasn't expected. I was just out there doing my everyday job.

  "It just proves that people who love what they're doing - it's not just a paycheck - that their work really does pay off."

  Perez personally oversees more than 250 active and open cases, a responsibility that often forces the husband and father of three kids to work anywhere from 50 to 70 hours a week.

  The honor also means a lot considering Perez's young age. He's only 31 and is hardly a veteran officer. But his career in law enforcement is something that was born long ago, something he's prepared for since he was a tyke.

  "I've known I wanted to work in law enforcement since I was 7 years old. I had kind of a bad experience with law enforcement back then. That's where it originated."

  While growing up on a farm in rural Missouri, there came a day when officers knocked on the door. They were looking for his father. Perez remembers those officers screaming in front of him, creating some of the worst fear of his childhood.

  "I didn't think how they handled it was the correct way to handle it. I just remember the yelling and I just wasn't raised that way. I just grew up wanting to be a police officer after that."

  Perez's mother moved her family to Yuma when he was 10 years old. He graduated from Kofa High School in 1996.

  Perez never forgot his childhood dream. After school, he would hang out with his uncle Manny Mercado, a 20-year veteran of Yuma law enforcement, who happily shared his stories and more than a few lessons with the eager teen.

  Perez quickly learned that an open and friendly approach to law enforcement was going to be his calling. He realized that respect for the badge would always get him farther than fear.

  "As I got older, I realized it was the talking thing, how talking really goes a long way. People just started interesting me, their expressions, their reactions. I really feel talking has got me farther than anything else in my career.

  "You get farther not scaring people, not using fear. I've gained many confessions just through talking to somebody, versus 'Ah, I've got a badge and I've got a gun.' I've seen that in the field and you just don't get as far."

  Perez says that by his being out in the community, maybe youngsters and adults will gain a better respect for the law and not choose bad behavior. Or when trouble strikes, victims will feel more comfortable reaching out for help.

  He also says that investigations go much better when the people involved are folks of all ages who already know his personality and character.

 Plus, in a career so focused on bad people, Perez just appreciates the chance to instantly renew his faith in humanity, all by simply pointing the patrol car toward Head Start.

  "All the negativity just goes away and it just recharges me. I go there and it just makes everything worth it. I can go back out in the field and continue to do what I do because of the children. They are so innocent and so honest. They've got the greatest smiles in the world!"

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Darin Fenger can be reached at
dfenger@yumasun.com or 539-6860.