POLICE, CIVILIANS NET AWARDS

Annual Ceremony Honors Officers And Residents Who Help Make City Safer,
Officials Say.

GLENDALE -- Investigator Oscar Rodriguez isn't sure where he's going to put
his Glendale Police Officer of the Year plaque and Distinguished Service
Award trophy, but said they will go in a place of honor in his home.

"I don't do my job for recognition," said Rodriguez, who is an investigator
in the department's Vice Narcotics Unit. He received the awards Thursday
afternoon at the Glendale Police Appreciation and Awards Luncheon,
sponsored by Glendale Citizens for Law and Order.

"I have six kids and I don't want any of them to be affected by drugs. I
know whatever I can do to keep drugs off the street will have a direct
impact on them."

It's part of that drive that netted both of his awards, officials said. The
12 members of the Vice Narcotics Unit, including drug-sniffing Labrador
Fergie, received the Distinguished Service Award for their team effort,
awards committee chairman Lt. Don Meredith said.

The Officer of the Year award went to Rodriguez for following up on an
investigation that initially seized 50 pounds of methamphetamine, 22 pounds
of cocaine and other drugs, police said. His follow-up led him to Georgia,
where the same group was operating, officials said. There, police seized
180 pounds of cocaine, 22 pounds of methamphetamine and other drugs.

The Reserve Officer of the Year Award went to Chaplain Bob Wong, who
frequently rides with patrol officers and helps with death notifications
and counseling. Community Service Officer Michele Oswandel received the
Civilian Employee of the Year Award for her work as a dispatcher who trains
and supervises other workers in the Communications Bureau.

The Volunteer of the Year Award was given to Dorothy Grebelsky, who not
only works with one of the department's youth programs to mentor students,
but has become the legal guardian of one of the youths.

Other award winners included civilians Linda Maxwell and Jose Quintanar,
who founded the nonprofit group We Care For Youth. Twelve years ago, the
couple took on the task of mentoring a group of 20 violent girls who were
involved in gangs, officials said. The girls turned their lives around with
that help. Since then, Maxwell and Quintanar have helped thousands of
teens, police said.

"Linda and Jose are deserving of the award every year. Their hearts are
with this community. In the last 12 months, they were significantly
involved in helping the community deal with the incidents at Hoover and
Valley View," Meredith said. Last year, a Hoover student was stabbed to
death near the school and two boys were beaten to death at Valley View
Elementary School. Valley View was closed when the slayings occurred.

AWARDS

Officer of the Year: Investigator Oscar Rodriguez.

Reserve Officer of the Year: Chaplain Bob Wong.

Civilian Employee of the Year: Community Service Officer Michele Oswandel.

Volunteer of the Year: Dorothy Grebelsky.

Distinguished Serve Awards: Lt. Lief Nicolaisen, Sgt. Edward Desario, Sgt.
Scott Johnstone, Investigator Todd Anderson, Investigator Joe Allen,
Investigator Bob Breckenridge, Investigator Tim Feeley, Agent David
Higgins, Agent Kim Lawrence, Sgt. Kim Lardie, Agent Jack Meier,
Investigator Louis Pasache, Records Supervisor Daniela Petters and
Investigator Oscar Rodriguez.

Ray Edwards Award: Rick Barnes and Mary Ann Plumley.

Civilian Awards: Staci Dizon, Gary Gum, Linda Maxwell and Jose Quintanar.

Divisional Award Ribbons: Investigator Todd Anderson, Lt. Mark Distaso,
Investigator John Genna, Officer Roger Johnstone, Investigator Tahnee
Lightfoot, Agent Lisa Muzquiz, Sgt. Carl Povilaitis, Community Service
Officer Sherri Servillo and Investigator Robert Zahreddine.

Divisional Certificates: Community Service Officer Raymond Cooley and Sgt.
Jim Woody.

Marksmanship Awards: Sgt. William Halvorsen, Sgt. Mario Marchman and Sgt.
Gary Montecuollo.