Officer Spotlight – PSO Michelle Ramirez-Velasco

Public Safety Officer Michelle Ramirez-Velasco is a six-year veteran of the University of Southern California Department of Public Safety (DPS). Officer Velasco is currently assigned to the Crisis Intervention Team as a Crisis Intervention Officer and as the Relationship Sexual Violence Prevention Liaison to DPS.

She is a veteran police officer from Ventura County, where she attended and graduated from the Ventura County Sheriff’s Criminal Justice Training Center. She worked for the City of Santa Paula for 16 years, where she retired as a Corporal. During her years of service to the City of Santa Paula Police Department, Officer Velasco worked as a dedicated patrol officer and was awarded the Medal of Valor by the Ventura County Police Officer’s Association for saving an elderly couple from their home during a fire.

Officer Velasco’s dedication during her patrol watches identified her focus to work with at-risk youth, and she was assigned to the position of Juvenile Intervention Officer. She was also selected to be the first School Resource Officer (SRO) for the elementary and high school districts. Officer Velasco was then promoted to the Investigation Division and held the position of Major Crimes Detective, being the case agent on all homicides, gang crimes, and sexual assaults. At the conclusion of her Detective assignment, Officer Velasco rotated back to the Patrol Division where she retired as the result of an on-duty injury.