FRANK ALVAREZ RETIRES AFTER MORE THAN A QUARTER CENTURY OF SERVICE

Published on January 03, 2025

Part of what Sheriff David Rhodes called a "legendary YCSO family", Deputy Frank Alvarez was recognized by the Sheriff during a retirement ceremony January 2nd in Prescott as "a reliable man who looked out for everybody".

Several members of the Alvarez family are part of YCSO including his brother, Oscar, a long-time deputy and SWAT team member, who attended the gathering with their parents, as well as other family, friends and co-workers. Frank Alvarez, who began his YCSO career in 1998 as a Detention Officer, told the group that "I made a good choice of a career, and I worked with and for some great people." He thanked the agency for "being there for me in the hard times, as well as the good times", and said he would especially miss his fellow SWAT team members. Alvarez served 23 years on the special unit, and in 2012 he received a SWAT Unit Citation Award.

Sheriff Rhodes reminisced about the days when he and Alvarez first worked together two decades ago in the Southeast Command Area. As the Sheriff put it, "We had a great time, a lot of fun, and we laughed a lot. Your personality was infectious. You always treated your co-workers well. You represented the agency with honor and it's important for us to recognize what you have done." During his tenure with YCSO, Alvarez received several letters of appreciation from members of the community.

Others who spoke at the ceremony included several who trained under Alvarez, and they said it was an honor to serve with such an excellent mentor. He became a Field Training Officer in 2004 and served as a Recruit Training Officer for class 34 of the Northern Arizona Regional Training Academy in 2013.