The American Legion’s Department of Virginia named Deputy Cañas as the Virginia Law Enforcement Officer of the Year at its state convention this summer, and Sheriff Sean Casey presented Deputy Cañas with the award at a recent Sheriff’s Office staff meeting.

Alexandria American Legion Post 24 had recognized Deputy Cañas this spring with the 2023 Alexandria Law Enforcement Officer of the Year and proudly nominated him for state-level honors.

Deputy Cañas is currently assigned as the Gang and Intelligence Investigator but has previously served as a Transportation Deputy and in the Detention Center. In addition to his regular duties, Deputy Cañas is a state-certified Field Trainer, General Instructor and Control Tactics Instructor, as well as a member of the Sheriff’s Emergency Response Team, Civil Disobedience Unit and Honor Guard.

Fluent in English and Spanish, Deputy Cañas is also a tremendous asset in recruiting efforts and in community relations, particularly in youth outreach where his experience as a competitive soccer player and coach enhances his credibility among young people.

From the time he joined ASO, Deputy Cañas has been a leader and was selected president of his academy class. He currently serves as president of the Alexandria Sheriff’s Association and the Sheriff’s Employee Advisory Committee.

Deputy Cañas’ commitment to his job and to the community are demonstrated by his response in two critical cases. As a Project Lifesaver Search Specialist, he is trained to use tracking equipment to locate Project Lifesaver clients who may wander due to medical and neurological conditions. He was off duty in 2022 when a client went missing, but he did not hesitate to respond and as a result, he and his team were able to quickly locate the individual.

In 2023, Deputy Cañas was among the first law enforcement officers on the scene of a shooting. He provided emergency aid to the victim who had suffered a life-threatening gunshot wound, but he also provided critical information about the suspect to other first responders and helped secure the crime scene. The victim survived and police were later able to make an arrest.

The Alexandria Sheriff’s Office is extremely proud to see Deputy Cañas honored with this state-level award, and Sheriff Casey expresses his appreciation to officials with both American Legion Post 24 and the American Legion’s Department of Virginia for recognizing Deputy Cañas.