Officers Honored for Contributions to Community

Police officers from Anaheim, Brea, Fullerton and Santa Ana and county sheriff’s deputies in Dana Point were honored last week for their efforts building communities.

Thirty-four groups were nominated for the Community-Oriented Policing Awards, a program in its fifth year. The winners were:

* West Anaheim community police Officers Bill Moss and Jeff Hemerson. The two spent countless hours--on duty and off duty--in the neighborhood speaking to residents and business owners. On their personal time, the officers took an unemployed father to a job interview, fed and sought shelter for a homeless man and attended numerous community functions.

* Brea Police Officers Kortney Dodd and Michael Vanags. The two established a program called Every 15 Minutes, so named because DUI accidents claim four lives each hour in the United States. The program was timed to coincide with Esperanza High School’s graduation and Junior and Senior Prom. An officer, dressed as the Grim Reaper, removed a student from class every 15 minutes, and a uniformed officer read a mock obituary.

* The Caring Community Program in Fullerton. A consortium of 19 community-based organizations and the Fullerton Police Department’s community services bureau worked together to reduce juvenile delinquency, drug use, gang activity and violence. The program focuses on youths from the downtown central district, although any Fullerton child can participate.

* The Santa Ana Medical Clinic Task Force. Established to enforce medical and pharmaceutical laws, the Santa Ana group tried to educate residents on the dangers of getting drugs from illegal clinics and pharmacies. The task force included 13 organizations, including officers from the Santa Ana Police Department.

* Deputy Russ Chilton and Deputy Ron Kennedy of the Dana Point Community Support Unit of the Sheriff’s Department. The 14-year veterans have been the department’s primary contacts in Dana Point. They maintain a rapport with residents and businesses using bike patrols. They also provide mentoring and support to troubled teens.

The presentations were made Thursday at a 300-person breakfast at the Disneyland Hotel. State Atty. Gen. Bill Lockyer and Justice William Bedsworth of the California 4th District Court of Appeal in Santa Ana participated in the event.