Police Department Honors 8 for Excellence

The Ventura Police Department handed out eight awards for excellence to officers, employees and volunteers during its annual awards ceremony last week.

At a ceremony Thursday, officials recognized four officers, one department employee and three volunteers for their achievements.

Officer Ralph Martinez received a certificate of excellence for saving the life of a 9-year-old boy, who was choking on a piece of candy, in November.

Officer Jon Castellanos, received the “Sonny Award”--a community service award named after a police dog killed in action--for his work raising money to take 76 troubled youths to a Dodger game.

The “Dave Heins Award” for the supervisor of the year went to Sgt. Gary McCaskill, who heads up the department’s major crimes unit. And Officer Greg Parrish won the “Chief’s Shirt Award,” for designing a children’s coloring book to teach youngsters how to use the 911 emergency system.

Department word processor Pam Nazar won the support employee of the year award.

The department recognized residents Ray Yanez and Dale Boettger for volunteering to evacuate horses during a wildfire on July 6 along Colina Vista Drive.

And volunteer Joe Ryba received a certificate of excellence for his work at the downtown and beach police storefront offices. Ryba volunteered more than 200 hours, donated two months’ rent and bought a refrigerator to be used in one of the storefronts.