Police Heroism Award
Vu D. Nguyen
Deputy Sheriff, Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department
On Wednesday afternoon, December 19, 2007, Detective Vu Nguyen and his partner Ed Yee, members of the Sacramento Sheriff’s Department Gang Suppression Unit, were patrolling an area of Sacramento County know to be a high crime, high gang activity area of the county. This was an assignment only too familiar to these young officers.
Their goal was to effectively take gang members out of the community and restore safety to this area of Sacramento. They also had a commitment to the youth of this area in helping to educate them about the dangers of gang membership; wanting to instill in them the need to seek a good education and become responsible members of their community.
On this day they were conducting proactive gang enforcement. The detectives were in plain clothing and driving an unmarked vehicle. They were driving by a know gang house on 47th Avenue when they noticed a young male subject loitering in the front yard of the residence. They did not recognize him from their numerous contacts in the area. As they prepared to stop and talk with the subject, he began running from them and disappeared in to the rear yard of the residence.
Detective Nguyen, who was the passenger, immediately left the vehicle and gave chase. Detective Yee quickly maneuvered his vehicle around the block in an attempt to cut off the running subject. It was at this time that Detective Yee heard gun fire. He attempted to make radio contact with his partner But there was no answer.
Fearing Detective Nguyen needed help, Detective Yee ran from the vehicle in the direction of the shots. Without thought for his own personal safety, he began jumping fences searching for Detective Nguyen. Detective Yee found his partner lying mortally wounded in one of the backyards. His duty weapon was by his side. Under extreme emotional conditions Detective Yee’ s professional training allowed him to broadcast a detailed description of the suspect and his suspected path of travel as he tended to his mortally wounded partner.
It was later learned that the violent suspect in this incident had lain in wait for Detective Nguyen and was prepared and willing to take the life of this courageous young detective.
Detective Nguyen’s entire life was dedicated to setting an example for young people of different ethnic backgrounds. He was a success story in his own life. He had a dedicated commitment to teaching by example. He was a highly trained professional member of the Sacramento Sheriff’s Department who loved his job. He will be eternally missed by all who knew him.
One final note: The 16-year-old murder of Detective Vu Nguyen was caught and tried as an adult.
We honor Detective Vu Nguyen’s memory today by awarding the Golden Badge Foundation’s Police Heroism Award posthumously.
