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Center. Chris has college degrees in Criminal Justice, Management and nearly killed by a severely impaired driver. This is where the
and a Master’s degree in Business Administration. Those of you who significance of a family picture comes in. The accident was so intense
have lived in Collier County long enough remember the juvenile and happened so quickly that Chris literally did not know what hit
residential commitment program, D.R.I.L.L will understand the him. Falling in and out of consciousness he could not process what
value of what was accomplished there. Chris was selected to assist had and what was happening. His focus however was on a photo of
with the development and implementation of that important program his family which he kept on the sun visor in the patrol car. He could
and found it very rewarding. not comprehend the accident but he did know that he needed to be
there for his family. While first responders took care of managing
He has pages of awards and recognitions for his outstanding the traffic, his rescue and stabilization of physical injuries, the entire
work with the CCSO and the Collier community in general. Too accident remained a blur. That family photo was the only sensible
numerous to name all of them, I’ll mention a few which represent thought that he could hold onto and he automatically went into
his career that continues to be exemplary. The “Gallantry Star” was survival mode. The car was so mangled that he and his trainee had
awarded after he entered a burning apartment building along with to be cut from the patrol vehicle and rushed in critical condition to
his partner to evacuate residents living there, authoring five successful the hospital. Recovery was a long process of multiple reconstructive
award submissions to the Fl and IACP (International Association surgeries and months of intense physical therapy. When he was
of Chiefs of Police) Law Enforcement Traffic Safety Challenges, able to return to work, he received extensive specialized training in
winning first place for the CCSO. He successfully submitted an various traffic related areas including DUI, motor officer and traffic
FDOT (Florida Department of Transportation) Aggressive Driving crash investigation. Chris was adamant that he spare others the
grant worth $110,000 and a Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Grant horrific experience that nearly took his life. How do you measure
worth $37,000. Chris has been recognized as Law Enforcement the cost of tragedies involving impaired drivers? Medically it can be
Deputy of the Quarter and nominated a second time for this honor tens of thousands and literally go on for a life time, is it the pain and
by his subordinates. The National Sheriff ’s Association and National suffering, the psychological trauma, or is it the loss of functionality
Highway Safety Administration awarded Chris the J. Stannard Baker temporary or permanent? I don’t know how you measure that cost
Award for outstanding achievements in highway safety, the Nation’s but I do know that the price is too high. Thank you Chris Gonzalez
highest traffic safety honor. CCSO, for your service to others, Naples and Collier County are
safer because of your dedication and selfless acts of courage.
Traffic safety and removing impaired drivers from the road had
become more personal following his accident where he was hit

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Life in Naples | December 2015 49