Friday, March 19, 2010, will mark 32 years since Deputy Arthur E. Pelino made the ultimate sacrifice while serving and protecting the residents of the Santa Clarita Valley.

Deputy Pelino was shot and killed in the line of duty by a mentally deranged suspect on March 19, 1978. Deputy Pelino was assigned to the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station and was working as the Resident Deputy in Gorman, which is located just north of Santa Clarita in a rural section of Los Angeles County. Deputy Pelino had arrested a mentally deranged suspect that was known to have been violent.

Deputy Pelino took the suspect back to his office to start the booking process. During the booking process, the suspect started to struggle with Deputy Pelino and was able to get control of his service weapon. The suspect shot and killed Deputy Pelino. Deputy Pelino is greatly missed, but he will never be forgotten by his Sheriff’s Department family.

Deputy Pelino had been with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department for 21 years and was survived by his wife, three sons, and three daughters.

More than three decades later, deputies currently assigned to the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station, who are fulfilling the same dream Arthur Pelino had 32 years ago to protect the public, will take a moment to honor his memory at shift briefings.

As a tribute to our fallen comrade, all on-duty deputies assigned to the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station will wear long sleeve Class “A” uniforms with a tie, and drive with their headlights on, even during daylight hours, tomorrow. We encourage residents of the Santa Clarita Valley to join us in this tribute by also using headlights even during daylight hours.

Visit the Deputy Arthur E. Pelino Memorial Web page here