Court Security Officer (CSO) Maria Gonzalez
On October 25, 2019 Ahtna Support and Training Services (ASTS) Court Security Officer (CSO) Maria Gonzalez was presented with a Level 1 STAR Award at the MPP Facility in Brownsville, Texas. On October 16, 2019 CSO Gonzalez was on duty at the MPP Facility when she observed a two-year-old child in distress. The child was choking on a piece of apple, and CSO Gonzalez immediately responded and applied her company-provided First Aid/CPR training. CSO Gonzalez gave the child five sharp back blows in accordance with her training. The child recovered and emergency medical services arrived to provide further treatment. CSO Gonzalez’ actions were swift, professional and possibly saved the child’s life.
This is the first STAR award that was presented for Ahtna Support and Training Services’ new Migrant Protection Protocol (MPP) project that started in September.
Lead Court Security Officer Ricardo Bustamante
On November 18, 2019 ASTS Lead Court Security Officer Ricardo Bustamante was presented with a Level 1 STAR Award at the MPP Facility in Laredo, Texas. On the evening of November 05, 2019 Court Security Officer (CSO) Victor Valadez was off duty and headed to his vehicle. CSO Valadez was approached by three people who surrounded him in an aggressive fashion. The subjects were speaking to CSO Valadez in a threatening manner. Lead CSO Ricardo Bustamante, who was also leaving work for the day, noticed what was happening. LCSO Bustamante challenged the subjects loudly causing them to scatter. Various law enforcement agencies responded, but no suspects were apprehended. No one was injured in this incident. Even though he was technically off duty, as a good leader, LCSO Bustamante’s commitment to the safety of his people remained in full force. LCSO Bustamante’s quick action shocked the perpetrators, causing them to flee. What could have been a costly incident for Officer Valadez was averted by LSCO Bustamante’s quick action.