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 18th Annual Orange County ATAC Vehicle Theft Recovery Officer of the Year Awards Brunch will take place on Wednesday, May 28th, 2008 0900 hours at the Irvine Marriott in Irvine.  It is located at 18000 Von Karman, Irvine.  If you have any questions or wish to RSVP, please contact Dennis Frias at (714) 288-6334 or Steve Reyes at (714) 288-6336.

"Orange County continues to experience a growing vehicle theft problem; Auto thieves continue to steal vehicles for use in criminal activity, to use for their transportation of human cargo and illicit drugs, and even for illegal exportation to other countries.  Thanks to the efforts of Orange County road patrol officers, vehicle theft is being addressed and Orange County officers made a significant impact in 2006 against the vehicle theft problem.

The Auto Theft Advisory Committee (A.T.A.C.), in sponsoring the Vehicle Theft Recovery Officer of the Year program, intends to raise public awareness and theft prevention 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 ties, more weight will be given to rolling recoveries and arrests, and the impact made on vehicle theft."

As presented by Master of Ceremonies Pat Haslam, KNX 1070 Radio, at the May 24th, 2007 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.