Detective Tim Bauer of the Tracy Police Department, lead investigator in the Sandra Cantu homicide case, and Tracy Fire Department firefighter leader Anthony “Tony” Perez will be candidates for district- and possibly statewide American Legion Law and Order honors.

They were selected as South County Officers of the Year from among seven public-safety officers receiving recognition at the annual Legion Law and Order Night, held Saturday in the American Legion Hall.

Tracy Police Department

Detective Tim Bauer’s efforts spearheaded local police in “a high-pressure, high-profile, multiagency-resource effort” in arresting the prime suspect in killing 8-year-old Sandra Cantu, said police Chief Janet Thiessen.

“His ability to maintain ongoing, detailed recollection of facts surrounding the case and to productively control and direct the multiple resources at his disposal over the course of the investigation was simply outstanding,” she said. “He (Bauer) was able to conclude the investigation with poise, ability and professionalism.”

Bauer, 37, has been with the TPD for eight years. In addition to working the Sandra case last year, he also investigated nine other major cases, including three other homicides and three armed robberies, the chief said.

Tracy Fire Department

Firefighter-paramedic Anthony “Tony” Perez was called one of the most tireless members of the fire department by acting Chief David Bramell.

Perez has been credited with using his paramedic training to save the life of a heart attack victim in full arrest after the victim was found in a car parked on MacArthur Drive.

Bramell said Perez, selected for the recognition by fellow firefighters, worked hard to achieve paramedic status, a major goal for members of the department.

As president of the Tracy Firefighters Association, Perez has worked with fire administration to streamline operations and improve response times. He was unable to attend Saturday’s award presentation because of a leg injury, Bramell reported.

California Highway Patrol

Officer Juan Cruz, a CHP officer for 16 years, has in his years with the Tracy unit provided special skills, said Lt. Amy Mangan, unit commander.

“Officer Cruz is a dedicated road-patrol officer and drug-recognition expert with over 700 arrests for impaired drivers,” she said.

Cruz, 45, also serves as an officer in charge, advanced officer safety training instructor and field training officer. He has served in special-duty assignments as public affairs officer, accident-investigation-review officer, tow officer and ambulance and school-bus officer, Mangan reported.

Cruz has been an area representative for the California Association of Highway Patrolmen and adviser to the Explorer Scout post sponsored by the Tracy CHP unit.

In addition to his duties with the CHP, Cruz has been a member of the U.S. Air Force Reserve for 22 years. He is a senior master sergeant with the 349th Air Mobility Wing at Travis AFB and has been deployed to Iraq, Kuwait and South America.

San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Department

Deputy Sheriff Jeremy Davis, although serving only the past year with Mountain House Police Services, has made key arrests of drug and assault suspects, reported San Joaquin County Sheriff Steve Moore.

“Deputy Davis’ diligence and hard work have resulted in several outstanding arrests, which have truly made the Tracy area a safer place to live and work,” Moore said.

He explained that, last November, Davis learned a drug dealer from out of town was dealing marijuana to teenagers at a Mountain House park. Davis arrested the person in the middle of the park, seized 30 baggies of marijuana and a small amount of heroin and gained a full confession.

Davis, 33, also apprehended a man suspected of deliberately trying to run down his girlfriend with a big-rig, arresting him for assault with a deadly weapon, according to the sheriff.

Deuel Vocational Institution

Correctional officer Mark Del Barba has excelled in his efforts as current assistant institutional gang investigator, said DVI warden S.M. Salinas.

“Officer Del Barba has been instrumental in gang suppression here at DVI and as a resource to local law-enforcement agencies on gang-related crimes and information,” the warden said. “He also is the institution’s terrorism liaison officer who monitors the activities of inmate radicalization groups.”

Del Barba, 42, began his career as a correctional officer at DVI in 2001 and has served a number of special assignments since then, including as in-service training officer and range-safety officer at the Correctional Officers Academy.

Defense Distribution Depot San Joaquin Fire

Assistant Chief Darrell Burton has been described as instrumental in leading a major upgrade in the training program at the Defense Logistics Agency depot’s fire department.

“In this capacity, Chief Burton was able to get three depot firefighters certified as California State Fire Marshal Instructors, reducing in some cases and eliminating in others the need to outsource training,” said Chief Arnold Dial.

The chief added that Burton, 38, has facilitated the construction of a number of training props at the depot. He become a certified hazardous-materials and CPR-first aid instructor and has coordinated training and mutual-aid ties with surrounding fire departments.

Burton has recently been promoted to be assistant chief of operations at the depot, which has two sites — Tracy and Sharpe.

Defense Distribution Depot San Joaquin Police

Two members of the depot police department — William Bonnat Jr. and Christopher Parker — were named co-officers of the year.

Their joint action has been credited with saving the life of a victim of a traffic accident outside the gate of the Sharpe site last June, said Chief Walt Murken.

The rescue happened after an eastbound pickup on Roth Road was struck by a vehicle exiting the depot, causing the pickup to roll on its side and stop in the middle of the Union Pacific tracks that pass east of the depot — just as an Altamont Commuter Express train was barreling down the tracks.

“Officers Parker and Bonnat ran to assist the injured driver out of the vehicle,” Murken said. “They were able to do so just moments before a morning ACE train struck the vehicle and pushed it several hundred feet down the tracks.”

For their life-saving action, both Parker, 25, and Bonnat, 26, have received the Defense Logistics Agency Meritorious Civilian Service Award.

Both Parker and Bonnat are military veterans who graduated from the Federal Law Enforcement Academy in Georgia.