Agapito "Gapo" Soto, an information technology consultant for our Department, supports three divisions: Risk Management, the Terrorism Early Warning Group (now OC Intelligence Assessment Center), and the Emergency Communications Bureau. Whenever the communications/media team arrives up at the Emergency Operations Center Gapo is called to help fix whatever computer we've broken.

Here's what the American Staffing Association has to say about Gapo:

Here's the reason why Soto is now National Staffing Employee of the Year: For most people at the Orange County Sheriff's Department, the work day starts at 8 and ends at 4. For Soto, however, the day starts at 7 and ends at 5 or whenever he is no longer needed there. It's that simple.

In fact, the reality is that there's nothing extraordinary in what Soto does that made Sapphire Technologies nominate him for the honor, but rather a long, long list of ordinary things that add up to an extraordinary contract employee.

Things like his willingness to put in extra time when needed, says Roos, who recalls his willingness to work as long as necessary and do whatever needed to be done as he supported the team from the sheriff's department that helped to fight the wildfires in Southern California in the fall.

During the week of Oct. 21, Soto took equipment to a site where emergency personnel had set up offices. He got laptops to people who needed them, set up televisions and videoconferencing equipment, and was available to people to resolve technology issues as needed. Taking turns with others, Soto manned the desk in 12-hour shifts to ensure that help was available 24 hours a day.

"The fire consumed most of the 'fuel' outside the perimeter of the facility while we maintained communications with the outside world via phone, fax, and Internet. We were amazed later when we got to see the video of the fire as it burned," says Soto.

Roos says Soto is someone you can depend on all of the time, not just in a crisis. "When you talk to the people in the sheriff's office, it's a given that they can depend on him as if he were their permanent employee," she says. "I know he'll arrive with a smile on his face and willing to go above and beyond what needs to be done."

Read the entire article here.