Two Riverside Police Volunteers named Law Enforcement Volunteers of the Year for 2003 by the California Peace Officer’s Association
 

Riverside, Ca- Riverside Police Volunteers Robert Macek Jr. and Gary Wittenmyer will be recognized by the California Peace Officer’s Association as Law Enforcement Volunteers of the Year for 2003. Both Macek and Wittenmyer will travel to Concord, California on Saturday, March 20, 2004 to receive their awards.

The attached nomination letter provides additional information about their accomplishments.

NOMINATION
California Peace Officers’ Association
Law Enforcement Volunteer of the Year 2003

Robert Macek Jr. & Gary Wittenmyer


Robert Macek Jr. & Gary Wittenmyer are a two-person team who have been partners since December of 1994. During this partnership they have donated thousands of hours. In 2003 alone they volunteered 900 hours.

Bob and Gary are responsible for the training of new Citizen Patrol members, seventeen to date. This training includes but is not limited to proficiency in the following areas: Radio communication, issuance of handicap citations, traffic control, crime scene photographs, knowledge of the City streets in Riverside which is approximately 82 square miles.

During 2003, Bob and Gary were instrumental in the continued success of the Riverside Impaired Drivers Enforcement Program (R.I.D.E.). Through this grant awarded to the Riverside Police Department from the Office of Traffic Safety (OTS), volunteers go out in a marked R.I.DE. vehicle in conjunction with Officers working specifically to locate drivers under the influence. Volunteers not only look for impaired drivers, they stand by for the tow truck, so the Officer may complete his investigation and be back out on the street in a more expeditious manner. Another component of this grant is participation of volunteers in DUI Checkpoints, Bob and Gary can always be counted on to be in attendance for these events.

Bob and Gary have been called upon in numerous situations many times on short notice to help with special assignments. Some of these include Weapons of Mass Destruction Drill, Riverside Air Show (60,000+ in attendance), an informational checkpoint for a murder suspect and numerous other events.

When it comes to recruitment, these gentlemen are the Department’s best assets. Their knowledge and love of the program are evident whenever they are in the public realm.

For these few reasons and so many more too numerous to mention, the Riverside Police Department nominates Robert Macek Jr. and Gary Wittenmyer for CPOA’s Volunteer of the Year of 2003.