City Council Honors Officer Ken Deeg in 2013 Jim Howes Community Service Award

Join us in congratulating Officer Ken Deeg as a recipient of the 2013 Officer Jim Howes Community Service Award.   

Ken was honored by the City Council on Tuesday for his work in addressing long-term problems in and around the Cowell’s Beach area.  

Ken is an 18 year veteran of the department and no stranger to taking on long-term problems and seeking collaborative solutions. 

In 2007, Council initiated the Jim Howes Community Service Award to honor city employees and community members who exemplify solution-oriented problem solving with caring, practicality, dedication, and professionalism.  The award was named after Jim as he set the standard in community care and dedication. We were honored to have Jim present today for the presentations. 

Jim Howes and Chief Vogel share a suspicious grin at your photographer

We are proud to have Officer Ken Deeg recognized for his efforts.  

Crystal Birns, Jim Howes, Michael Bethke, Bill "Doc" Christie (don't know how "Doc" got in the photo???) and Officer Ken Deeg

Congratulations also go to recipients Crystal Birns and Michael Bethke for their award today, as well.  Great work everybody. 

SCPD Joins Mayor Hilary Bryant in "Key to the City" Presentation at Plantronics

The Santa Cruz Police Department joined Mayor Hilary Bryant in one of her last official duties as Mayor.  Chief Kevin Vogel, along with Deputy Chiefs Rick Martinez and Steve Clark joined Mayor Bryant at the presentation today. 

Mayor Bryant presented the highly sought after, but seldom awarded “Key to the City” and an official Proclamation to Plantronics President & CEO, Ken Kannappan. 

In the aftermath of the tragic shooting of Sergeant Butch Baker and Detective Elizabeth Butler, Ken and his team at Plantronics went to work hoping to do good for the families and restore a sense of community.  Plantronics raised $50,000 for the Memorial Fund to be distributed to the families of the fallen officers. 

 As I looked around the room filled to capacity with Plantronics’ team members, I saw more than just a company donating an extremely generous amount of money.  I saw a community of caring men and women committed to not only their employer, but also to the Santa Cruz community.  I was humbled by their generosity and show of support. 

Thank You Plantronics!!….we are grateful for your generous donation and proud to have you as a community partner. 

Santa Cruz Police Named "Organization of the Year" by Santa Cruz Chamber of Commerce

Holy Smokes!!.....  We are honored beyond belief.  

The Santa Cruz Chamber of Commerce voted Santa Cruz Police Department the “Organization of the Year”. 

We are extremely proud of the men and women here at the Santa Cruz Police Department.  It is through their hard work and commitment that this recognition is possible.

Chief Vogel stated, “We are so thankful to the Chamber Board, Executives and all of their members for their dedication to the community and for this award.   Commerce defines much more than the just exchange of dollars at a business.  It speaks to overall personality of the community and all of the healthy activity associated with us.  The Chamber’s work is vitally important to this and works alongside our mission to improve quality of life here in Santa Cruz”.

Special Thanks to Justin Kelsey and Roby Behrens from Lucid Sound and Picture for an amazing job on our introduction video.   Here is the video link:

Chamber of Commerce Video 

Congratulations to all of this year’s award winners:

Jack O’Neill – Lifetime Achievement
Ryan Coonerty, Jeremey Neuner, & Caleb Baskin – Entrepreneurs of the Year
David Haussler – Man of the Year
Laura Brown – Woman of the Year
Ow Family Properties – Business of the Year

Thank You Chamber…..your recognition means so much and will continue to inspire us. 

Gratitude Paid to Those That Reached Out in Aftermath of Sergeant Butch Baker and Detective Elizabeth Butler Shooting

Mayor Hilary Bryant, Chief Kevin Vogel and the City Council paid honor and gratitude to the people, businesses and organizations that lifted us up in the aftermath of the deaths of Sergeant Butch Baker and Detective Elizabeth Butler.

 Photo Courtesy of Brad Kava - Patch

There are hundreds who stepped forward and stood with the police department and community during this time.

Receiving a “Key to the City” were: 

Santa Cruz Regional 9-1-1
City of San Jose
Santa Cruz Memorial
California Highway Patrol
Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office

Receiving Proclamations were: 

Adam Abrams
John & Rebecca Colligan
Friends of Shannon Collins
Anne Maggioncalda
Patty Quillin
Richard Wilson
Atherton Police Officer’s Association
Boomerang Project
The Fallen Officers Fund
Police and Fire;  The Fallen Heroes
San Francisco Police Credit Union
San Francisco Police Officers Association
Baskin & Grant, LLP
Bike Dojo
Erik's Deli
Joe’s Pizza & Subs
William Ow Family
PredPol
Rechnitz Charity Foundation
Santa Cruz Seaside Company
Santa Cruz Rotary
Stagnaro Bros Seafood
Zoccoli’s Deli
Governor Jerry Brown
James Durbin
Attorney General Kamala Harris
Nickelodeon Theatres, Inc
Santa Cruz Metropolitan Transit District
Santa Cruz Warriors
Secretary Leon Panetta
Twin Lakes Church – Pastor Rene Schlaepfer 

There were many more who received certificates of appreciation.  We will list those in the days ahead. 

Special Thanks to Scott Collins from the City Manager’s Office for his endless hours and dedication to this program.  Scott put this program together, and honored us all with his work. 

There are so many individual stories of generosity and kindness extended to us during this time.  We will try to highlight some of those in the weeks ahead.

You lifted and held us up during the most difficult days we have faced.  Thank you doesn't begin to express our gratitude.

Together, our challenge and our duty is to keep the momentum going in a positive way.  We will honor their memory by making a Santa Cruz a community worthy of their sacrifice. 

SCPD Says Thank You Santa Cruz Woodie Club!

The Santa Cruz Police Department would like to thank the Santa Cruz Woodie Club for the framed event poster and commemorative plaque they presented to Chief Kevin Vogel at the Woodies on the Wharf event that took place on Saturday June 22^nd.  This years plaque is engraved with these kind and heartfelt words:

“In appreciation for the service you provide to the citizens and visitors of the City of Santa Cruz.  Thank you for your professionalism, dedication and heroism.  Your willingness to put your lives on the line daily shows the commitment to your profession.  The Santa Cruz Woodie Club thanks you in memory of Sgt. Loran Baker and Detective Elizabeth Butler.”         

Mayor Hilary Bryant was on hand to accept a framed event poster on behalf of the City of Santa Cruz.  The Mayor and the Chief assisted with the annual raffle by drawing the winning numbers for the lucky recipients of the two cruiser bikes and the two surfboards.  The weather for this event was picture perfect, to which we give credit to the Mayor!    

This was the 19th annual Surf City classic and Northern California’s largest woodie show, featuring more than 200 stylish, pre-1952 wood-bodied cars.  Since the first Woodies on the Wharf event 19 years ago, the Santa Cruz Police Department and the Santa Cruz Parks and Recreation Department have assisted the woodies as they depart the wharf in parade-like fashion at the conclusion of the event.  The parade of woodies leaving the wharf is quite an impressive sight to see.

Chief Vogel and the Santa Cruz Police Department would like to thank and express our appreciation to the Santa Cruz Woodie Club!