Once a year, the Committee puts on an awards ceremony and brunch, recognizing the officer from each department in Orange County who has recovered the most stolen vehicles during the previous calendar year.

The 19th Annual Orange County ATAC Vehicle Theft Recovery Officer of the Year Awards Brunch took place on Thursday, May 28th, 2009 at the Irvine Marriott in Irvine. 

"Orange County continues to experience an on-going vehicle theft problem; Auto thieves continue to steal vehicles to conduct criminal activity, to use for their smuggling of human cargo and illicit drugs, and for illegal exportation to Mexico and other countries.  Thanks to the efforts of Orange County road patrol officers, the crime of vehicle theft is constantly being addressed.  Orange County officers made a significant impact in 2008, against the vehicle theft problem.  Their combined efforts resulted in a 19.7% drop in vehicle theft during 2008. 

The Auto Theft Advisory Committee, in sponsoring the Vehicle Theft Recovery Officer of the Year Program, intends to raise public awareness in three ways:

* First: The Committee will continue to recognize the positive results law enforcement efforts have had upon the vehicle theft problem in Orange County. 

* Second: The Committee will continue to work with the media to produce public awareness messages which will provide tips to help prevent vehicle theft.

* And Third: Is the reason we are all here today.  The Committee will continue to recognize those officers in Orange County who excel at vehicle theft recovery.  The Vehicle Theft Recovery Officer of the Year Award was developed to honor that excellence in law enforcement, and to provide an incentive for officers  to become even more zealous in the recovery of stolen vehicles.

The criteria qualifying an officer for the award consist of these conditions:

1) The sworn peace officer must have been a regular 'road' patrol officer when she or he earned the statistics qualifying her or him for the award.  This means that officers assigned to vehicle theft investigative positions and task force assignments are ineligible because they have an unfair advantage.

2) Only one individual per award.  In cases of a tie, more weight will be given to significant case highlights, rolling recoveries and arrests as provided by each respective agency.

3) Previously, an officer’s total points alone were used to determine the winner.  Currently, the ATAC Committee is placing more emphasis on rolling vehicle recoveries, arrests and significant case highlights."

As presented by Master of Ceremonies Pat Haslam, Real Orange KOCE Public TV Featured Reporter, at the May 28th, 2009 A.T.A.C. Officer of the Year Awards Presentation.

For further information about the Auto Theft Advisory Committee (A.T.A.C.) please go to: http://www.wsati.org/atac.html.