Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas and Orange County District Attorney Chief of Investigations Don Blankenship participated in a recognition luncheon.   The Chiefs / Department Heads of the agencies making up OCATT's membership were also invited to participate.

The luncheon was held to recognize the efforts of the members of OCATT during calendar year 2005.  OCATT personnel were recognized for the 323 vehicles that were successfully recovered worth an estimated $7,812,382.00.  The average value of the vehicles they recovered was $24,186.94.  

The 2005 OCATT members recognized were CHP Lieutenant Rick Pena, CHP Sergeant Ron Brame, Newport Beach Sergeant Joe Thrasher, OCDA Deputy District Attorney Pete Pierce, Brea Police Detective Manny Ramos, Buena Park Police Detective Brian Penfold, DOI Investigator Sam Abrego, DOI Investigator Pete Tuttle, CHP Investigator Al Perez, CHP Investigator Mike Pimental, Fullerton Police Detective Pat Martin, Huntington Beach Police Detective Jon Haught, La Habra Police Detective Dan Barnes, NICB Special Agent Dave Schwartzkopf, NICB Special Agent Mark Stowell, Newport Beach Police Detective Kent Eischen, OCDA Investigator Glenn Overley, OCSD Investigator Bud Hood, Placentia Police Detective Brian Renden, Santa Ana Police Detective Gary Labb, and Westminster Police Detective Jim Gist. (Investigator Abrego and Special Agent Stowell were mid-year replacements for Investigator Tuttle and Special Agent Schwartzkopf)

This was an all-time high for both vehicles recovered and recovery value in OCATT's history since beginning in July 1993.

California Highway Patrol Commissioner "Spike" Helmick presented OCATT with the first Commissioner's Unit Citation to be given to a vehicle theft task force.  The award was presented to CHP/OCATT Sergeant Fritz Grimsley who accepted the Unit Citation on behalf of the current OCATT personnel who were in attendance at the presentation, as well as all the prior OCATT personnel who have worked at OCATT since July 1993.  The citation read:

Orange County Auto Theft Task Force

The members of the Orange County Auto Theft Task Force (OCATT) are commended by the California Highway Patrol for their dedicated and tenacious efforts in reduction of vehicle theft in Orange County.  Your actions have had significant impact on the vehicle theft problem in the county.  OCATT is an outstanding example of cooperative enforcement operations by city, state, and county law enforcement agencies.  The CHP enthusiastically supports your work and wishes you continued success.  June, 2004

California Highway Patrol Border Division Chief "Skip" Carter presented CHP/OCATT Sergeant Fritz Grimsley with a Division Chief's Commendation.  The commendation read:

Awarded to Sergeant Robert F. Grimsley, Jr. #5173 for Outstanding Performance.  Fritz, you have dedicated 37 years of your career to the detection and apprehension of vehicle thieves.  You are a veritable encyclopedia of knowledge and information relative to the criminal mind of a vehicle thief.  You have consistently tutored, mentored and guided younger officers in the finer aspects of surveillance, undercover and team work.  You were instrumental in the creation of OCATT.  Throughout your distinguished career, you consistently exhibited professionalism and determination in positively representing the department.

Fritz, you have had a long and impressive career.  As you begin this new chapter, please know that it is as difficult for us to say farewell to you, as it is for you to go.  You are leaving behind an impressive legacy.  Congratulations on your retirement and thank you for a job well done.

Department of Insurance/OCATT Investigator Peter Tuttle was the recipient of an Award for Excellence from Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi's Office.  This was in recognition of Investigator Tuttle's investigations leading to the arrests and prosecutions of suspects involved in insurance fraud.

Auto-Theft.info, the leading online auto theft information clearinghouse, and Winner International, LLC, makers of The Club®, the No. 1 selling vehicle anti-theft device recognized the Orange County Auto Theft Task Force as the "Auto Theft Heroes of the Month."  It went to the entire team rather than the usual individual award given.  OCATT was recognized as a dedicated group of crime fighters and was singled out for their consistently strong efforts at combating auto theft in Orange County over the past few years.

January 18, 2001 - Billy Osborn Memorial Award

CHP/OCATT Sergeant Fritz Grimsley was awarded the Billy Osborn Memorial Award by the Southern Chapter of the Western States Auto Theft Investigators Association.  The presentation was made at the January 2001 WSATI training meeting in Laguna Hills.  Sergeant Grimsley was recognized for his many years as a vehicle theft investigator for the California Highway Patrol and the Orange County Auto Theft Task Force, as well as his contributions to the WSATI Southern Chapter.

January 20, 2000 - Billy Osborn Memorial Award

Santa Ana Police/OCATT Investigator Gary Labb was awarded the Billy Osborn Memorial Award by the Southern Chapter of the Western States Auto Theft Investigators Association.  The presentation was made at the January 2000 WSATI training meeting in Laguna Hills.  Investigator Labb was recognized for his many years as a vehicle theft investigator for the Santa Ana Police Department and the Orange County Auto Theft Task Force, as well as his contributions to the WSATI Southern Chapter.

November 10, 1999 - Trooper James E. Gain Memorial Award

CHP/OCATT Sergeant Fritz Grimsley was recognized for his many, many years of service as an auto theft investigator and was awarded the prestigious Washington State Patrol Trooper James E. Gain Memorial Award.  Sergeant Grimsley accepted the award in November 1999 at the Western States Auto Theft Investigators Association's 28th Annual Training Conference in Monterey, California.
 

October 1999 - Southern California Fraud Investigators Association

The Southern California Fraud Investigators Association (SCFIA) asked OCATT to teach an auto theft and chop shop training session at their 20th Annual Educational Seminar in Ventura, California. OCATT proudly accepted the invitation.  OCATT's live demonstration of vehicle stripping proved to be very informative and useful to the students.  In appreciation, SCFIA presented OCATT with a handsome plaque.

June 1999 - I.A.S.I.U Auto Theft Task Force of the Year

The International Association of Special Investigation Units (IASIU) Southern California Chapter recognized OCATT as the 1999 Auto Theft Task Force of the Year.  CHP/OCATT Lieutenant Szabo and several OCATT detectives attended the award presentation in La Mirada, California.