Pub. 1 2013 Issue 4

Spring Issue 2013 27 During the past 23 years, the Auto Theft Advisory Committee has sponsored the Vehicle Theft Recovery Officer of the Year Programwhich raises public awareness in three ways: • The committee recognizes the positive effects that lawenforcement agencies have had upon vehicle theft. • The committee works with themedia to produce public awareness messages which will provide tips to help prevent vehicle theft. • The committee recognizes those officers in San Diego County who excel at vehicle theft recovery. In addition to the omnipresent efforts of San Diego County’s law enforcement agencies, the Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention Act provides funding for the public awareness program, "Californians Help Eliminate Auto Theft" (CAL-HEAT). CAL-HEAT establishes a toll-free hotline number for reporting vehicle theft 1-800-TELL-CHP. Calls are handled by the Sacramento Communications Center, which refers them to the appropriate state and local law enforcement agency. The Vehicle Theft Recovery Officer of the Year Award was developed to honor excellence in law enforcement, and to provide an incentive for officers in the future years to become even more zealous in the recovery of stolen vehicles. On March 20, 2013, 28 officers representing almost every law enforcement agency in San Diego County were honored for their vehicle recovery efforts. They arrested a total of 110 vehicle theft suspects and recovered 629 vehicles with a total recovery value of $4,469,065 in 2012. First-time Award Recipients: Deputy James Balderson, San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, Vista Station; Deputy Aaron Boer, San Diego County Sheriff ’s Department, Valley Center Station; Officer Michael Butcher, La Mesa Police Department; Deputy Luis Carrillo, San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, Poway Station; Officer Tyler Cockrell, San Diego Police Department, Northern Division; Officer David Ditomaso, Chula Vista Police Department; Officer Jordan Good, Coronado Police Department; Officer Ronald Harris, California Highway Patrol, Oceanside Area; Deputy Devin Kusler, San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, Santee Station; Officer Louie Michael, El Cajon Police Department; Deputy Aaron Miller, San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, Alpine Station; Deputy Steven Sepulveda, San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, Imperial Beach. Second-time Award Recipients Deputy Marshall Abbott, San Diego County Sheriff’s Department Encinitas Station; Corporal Damian Ballardo, National City Police Department; Deputy Jim Breneman, San Diego County Sheriff ’s Department Ramona Station; Deputy Zach Harris, San Diego County Sheriff’s Department Fallbrook Station; Officer Juan Mora, California Highway Patrol San Diego Area. Fourth-time Award Recipient Deputy Shannon Justice, San Diego County Sheriff’s Department Lemon Grove Station. Fifth-time Award Recipients Officer Rodney Fischer, San Diego Police Department, Traffic Division; Officer Mark Hallmark, California Highway Patrol El Cajon Area. Seventh-time Award Recipient Officer Roger Stonier, San Diego Police Department, Central Division. Twelfth-time Award Recipient Officer Michael Roberts, Oceanside Police Department. This year, the Auto Theft Advisory Committee selected an officer to receive an honorablemention for his excellent police work. The San Diego State University Police Department is responsible for the campus which encompasses a community of more than 40,000 students, faculty and staff. Its primary police jurisdiction is on the university property which is 283 acres. The Auto Theft Advisory Committee presented its Honorable Mention Award to Corporal BrianWeaver who recovered 12 vehicles and arrested 4 suspects. The ATAC recognizes those officers whose points for vehicle recovery and arrests placed them in the top five. The fifth place "Vehicle Theft Recovery Officer of the Year” award was presented to Officer Andrew Wyse, Escondido Police Department. It was Officer Wyse’s first nomina- tion for an ATAC award. The fourth place “Vehicle Theft Recovery Officer of the Year” award recipient was Officer Vernon Colglazier, San Diego Police Department, Mid-City Division. It also was Officer Colglazier’s first nomination for an ATAC award. The third place“VehicleTheft Recovery Officer of theYear”was awarded to Officer Scott Crane, San Diego Police Department, Western Division. It was Officer Crane’s second nomination for an ATAC award. The second place “Vehicle Theft Recovery Officer of the Year” award recipient was Officer Dannie Bihum, San Diego Police Department, Eastern Division. This was Officer Bihum’s seventh nomination for an ATAC award. After reviewing the recovered stolen vehicle points and significant case highlights of each nominee, the members of the Auto Theft Advisory Committee unanimously agreed on the Top Vehicle Theft Recovery Officer of theYear 2012: Deputy Jeff Creighton, San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, San Marcos Station. This was Deputy Creighton’s first ATAC award. In 2012, he was respon- sible for the recovery of 52 vehicles, including 10 rolling stolen vehicles, valued at $202,400, which included 14 arrests for vehicle theft.