Fire Department head is honored

Newport Beach Fire Chief Tim Riley was honored with the Dave Snowden award at the Law and Order Awards banquet hosted by the Newport Harbor American Legion on Friday.

The Newport Harbor legion post has hosted the banquet to honor local public safety agencies for 41 years.

“If it weren’t for them, we wouldn’t be here ? they’re our protectors,” said legion member and event co-chairman Earl Fusselman.

The Dave Snowden award, created after former Chief Snowden left the Costa Mesa Police Department in 2003, is given to an official who demonstrates a long-standing commitment to the community, Fusselman said.

Riley, who will retire this year after 14 years as chief, said he was surprised by the honor.

“I feel so blessed,” an emotional Riley said as he accepted the award. “It’s been such an honor to serve in this community and do great things.”

Riley followed in his father’s footsteps and joined the Anaheim Fire Department in 1975.

The Newport Beach and Costa Mesa fire and police departments were also honored at the banquet, as were the Orange County Sheriff’s Harbor Patrol and the U.S. Coast Guard.

Top officials from each agency introduced and presented their employees of the year.

“It’s always a difficult choice for us because of the work that so many do,” said Newport Police Capt. Mike Hyams as he introduced Jerry Lowe as the Newport Beach police officer of the year.

Harbor Patrol Lt. Erin Giudice introduced Herb Siegmund and Larry Cognito as the harbor patrol deputies of the year.

“He’s very much a team player,” Giudice said of Siegmund, who works in the department’s Sunset Beach station.

Cognito was recognized as one of the divers who helped recover the bodies of four men from a plane that crashed off Dana Point in November.