Spotlight: Gregory Wiist – From Operation Enduring Freedom
to the Halls of Santiago Canyon College

Gregory Wiist is a current Santiago Santiago Canyon College student, Army veteran, and motorcycle officer with the Redondo Beach Police Department. Gregory joined the US Army Reserves in 2009 as a Military Police and Corrections Officer. He deployed from 2011-2012 to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, where he worked in the prisons. Following his service, Gregory was awarded the Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Medal (GWOT), Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal (GWOTE) and the Armed Forces Reserve Medal.

In 2013, Gregory was recruited and hired by the Redondo Beach Police Department, where he has worked several assignments, including SWAT, DUI Enforcement, Field Training Officer, Motors, and Patrol where he received a Life Saving Award from the South Bay Police and Fire Memorial Foundation in 2022 after negotiating a suicidal subject down from the ledge of a three-story building.

 Gregory Wiist with SCC President Jeannie Kim and RSCCD Trustee, Tina Arias-Miller

Gregory returned to Santiago Canyon College in the winter of 2023 to continue his education with the goal of taking on an additional career in the field of medicine as a physician’s assistant. By continuing his education, Gregory hopes to better serve the public, his family, friends, and those around him.​​​​​