...
Rafaela Valenzuela migrated to Arizona from Sonora, Mexico, with her family in the 1920s. She was a migrant farm worker at the Ocotillo labor camp in Chandler. Manuel (Manny) Felix Valenzuela was the seventh child of Rafaela’s nine children. He was born in 1941 in Queen Creek, Arizona.
...
In 1963, Officer Manny Valenzuela was the only Hispanic member of the Chandler police force at the time. On occasion, his peers challenged him because he was Mexican. Manny remembered being questioned by his supervisor on one occasion. The interrogation came from an incident where Manny fatally shot a murder suspect. The only weapon Officer Valenzuela had in his patrol car was a shotgun. Officer Valenzuela shot the suspect while defending himself and a fellow police officer in downtown Chandler. This event was just one of many situations Officer Valenzuela faced while protecting the residents of Chandler.
...
Manny received a series of promotions and appointments from the Chandler Police Department. He was the first Hispanic police officer to become a supervisor as he rose through the ranks as Detective Sergeant (1973), Lieutenant (1974), and Captain (1977). Manny achieved specialized skills at the FBI Academy National Headquarters in Virginia (1976). He was the first Hispanic Chandler Police officer to graduate from the Arizona Polygraph Association. In his role as a polygraph examiner, Manny testified during the State Senate impeachment trial of former Arizona Governor Evan Mecham. Manny continued his education at Arizona State University earning credits toward his degree. A medical retirement in 1981 ended Manny’s long and distinguished career.
Manny’s personal community dedication and leadership was instrumental in developing an anti-drub program called “Dope Stop.” This innovative program was launched in Chandler schools before the well-known National DARE program. Manny’s personal story of tenacity, integrity, and strong ethical values inspires Chandler’s Hispanic youth.
Today, Manny lives in Chandler with his wife, Ann. They have three children: Manny, Jr., Krista, and Caroline. All three siblings pursued their college education in criminal justice programs. Manny is busy in his retirement as a mentor, paralegal, and expert criminal behavioral psychology consultant.
Biography researched and authored by Mary Polanco-Gerlach and Diane Brown
Return to City of Chandler Hispanic Heritage Month Photo Exhibit Home