Chain | Cohn | Clark joins MADD Kern County in honoring locals fighting against DUI crimes
June 12, 2019 | Article by Chain | Cohn | Clark staff | Community Service Social Share
Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), Kern County recognized and honored our local law enforcement officers, prosecutors, and other community members on Wednesday at Hodel’s Country Dining for their valiant efforts in helping stop DUI crimes.
In all, 67 officers from throughout Kern County agencies were awarded during the 2019 MADD Kern County Law Enforcement and Prosecutor Recognition luncheon, as well as a prosecutor from the Kern County District Attorney’s Office. Awards were handed out to the top prosecutor, top probation officer, and the top law enforcement officer, among others.
“There are numerous ways we as a community can come together to fight against DUI crimes, whether it’s through law enforcement and prosecution, serving as a designated driver, or helping raise awareness of the DUI epidemic in Kern County,” said Carla Pearson, victim services specialist for MADD Kern County. “It’s important we acknowledge and award the special efforts made here. Simply, these people are saving lives.”
The award recipients were as follows (for a full awards list, scroll to the bottom of this post):
- Top DUI Arresting Officer: Officer Robert Tyo, Bakersfield Police Department, 223 DUI arrests
- Prosecutor of the Year: Kim Richardson, Kern County District Attorney’s Office
- Probation Department Award: Brian Mara, DUI Program Supervisor
- Community Champion Award: Jeff Platt, Eyewitness News
- Top CHP Officer: Officer Rodney Black (Bakersfield), 117 DUI arrests
The awards ceremony was organized by MADD Kern County volunteers, and made possible by the financial support of local sponsors: Chain | Cohn | Clark, Chevron, Ira and Carole Cohen with UBS Financial, Kern County Prosecutors Association, and Michael Yraceburn and Sally Herald CPA.
Since 2009, our community has seen at least 4,000 DUI arrests made each year, with nearly 4,400 DUI arrests in 2018, according to the Kern County District Attorney’s Office. That’s 12 DUI arrests per day. For the rate of DUI-related fatal collisions per 100,000 people, Kern County ranks highest in the state and second highest in the nation.
The awards luncheon is one of two MADD Kern County signature events aimed to bring awareness of the DUI epidemic in our community, and fight toward ending DUI crimes here. The second event, Walk Like MADD & MADD Dash, will take place this year on Saturday, Sept. 28, at Park at River Walk.
Chain | Cohn | Clark for many years has partnered with MADD Kern County to combat DUI crashes. Attorney Matt Clark sits on the MADD Kern County Advisory Board and regularly speaks to DUI offenders during the MADD Victim Impact Panels, and law firm marketing director is the planning committee chairman for the annual. Walk Like MADD & MADD Dash. For its work has been recognized and honored on several occasions:
- MADD Kern County honored Chain | Cohn | Clark with a “Community Champion” award during the 2018 Kern County MADD Law Enforcement and Prosecutor Recognition luncheon ceremony for the law firm’s work toward raising awareness locally and helping victims.
- The law firm was also nominated in the “Corporation of the Year” category for a 2018 Beautiful Bakersfield Award, which recognizes a company whose volunteer hours and/or financial donations have made a meaningful difference.
- Jorge Barrientos, director of marketing and public relations for Chain | Cohn | Clark, was awarded California’s “Volunteer of the Year” award by Mothers Against Drunk Driving, California, at the “Celebrating California’s Heroes” law enforcement and community recognition event in Sacramento.
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If you or someone you know is injured in an accident, please call the Bakersfield attorneys at Chain | Cohn | Clark at (661) 323-4000, or chat with us online.
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MEDIA COVERAGE
- MADD awards Jeff Platt with “Community Champion Award” (KBAK-KBFX Eyewitness News – June 12, 2019)
- Officers celebrated at annual MADD Awards luncheon (KGET-17, NBC – June 12, 2019) (Web Version)
- BPD officer recognized for making over 200 DUI arrests in 2018 (The Bakersfield Californian – June 16, 2019) (Web Version)
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2019 MADD KERN COUNTY LAW ENFORCEMENT & PROSECUTOR
RECOGNITION AWARDS LUNCHEON
TOP DUI ARRESTING OFFICER OF KERN COUNTY
Officer Robert Tyo – 223 DUI Arrests: Bakersfield Police Department
PROSECUTOR OF THE YEAR AWARD
Kim Richardson: Prosecutor, Kern County District Attorney’s Office
PROBATION DEPARTMENT AWARD
Brian Mara: DUI Program Supervisor, Kern County Probation Department
COMMUNITY CHAMPION AWARD
Jeffrey Platt: Eyewitness News
TOP ARRESTING OFFICER PER DEPARTMENT
Taft Police Department Officer Andrew Avila 8
Shafter Police Department Officer Janet Fernandez 9
Kern County Sheriff (Wasco) Deputy Brandon Routh 9
Ridgecrest Police Department Officer Laura Kenney 13
California Highway Patrol (Fort Tejon) Officer Jason Lachaussee 10
California Highway Patrol (Mojave) Officer Bryan Lombardi 29
California Highway Patrol (Bakersfield) Officer Rodney Black 117
Bakersfield Police Department Officer Robert Tyo 223
CENTURY AWARDS
More than 100 DUI arrests in 2018
California Highway Patrol (Bakersfield) Officer Adrian Tait 103
California Highway Patrol (Bakersfield) Officer Dallas Plotner 114
California Highway Patrol (Bakersfield) Officer Rodney Black 117
Bakersfield Police Department Officer Robert Tyo 223
DEUCE AWARDS
Between 1 and 49 DUI arrests in 2018
Taft Police Department Sargent Corey Beilby 5
Taft Police Department Officer Moises Martinez 5
California Highway Patrol (Fort Tejon) Officer Pablo Hinojosa 6
Kern County Sheriff (Wasco) Senior Deputy Steve Davis 6
Shafter Police Department Officer William Draucker 7
Shafter Police Department Officer Eric Diaz 7
Taft Police Department Officer Andrew Avila 8
Shafter Police Department Officer Janet Fernandez 9
Kern County Sheriff (Wasco) Deputy Brandon Routh 9
Ridgecrest Police Department Officer Corey Rinaldi 10
California Highway Patrol (Fort Tejon) Officer Jason Lachaussee 10
Ridgecrest Police Department Officer Laura Kenney 13
Bakersfield Police Department Officer Victor Swall 20
Bakersfield Police Department Officer Thomas Wahl 20
Bakersfield Police Department Officer Christopher Denman 23
Bakersfield Police Department Officer Jacqueline Smith 23
Bakersfield Police Department Officer Adam Clayton 24
California Highway Patrol (Bakersfield) Officer Tyler Olson 25
California Highway Patrol (Bakersfield) Officer Michael Galvez 26
California Highway Patrol (Bakersfield) Officer Michael Livesay 26
California Highway Patrol (Bakersfield) Officer Luis Ballesteros 26
California Highway Patrol (Mojave) Officer Donald Mulligan 26
California Highway Patrol (Mojave) Officer Alejandro Zuniga 26
California Highway Patrol (Mojave) Officer Jason Carroll 27
Bakersfield Police Department Officer Richard Robles 27
Bakersfield Police Department Officer Jeremiah Holt 29
California Highway Patrol (Mojave) Officer Bryan Lombardi 29
Bakersfield Police Department Officer Johnny Moreno 35
California Highway Patrol (Bakersfield) Officer Kurtis Caid 37
Bakersfield Police Department Officer Jordaon Hokit 38
California Highway Patrol (Bakersfield) Officer Bernabe Mejia 38
California Highway Patrol (Bakersfield) Officer Francisco Chavez 41
California Highway Patrol (Bakersfield) Officer Jose Bravo 41
Bakersfield Police Department Officer Kasey Knott 42
California Highway Patrol (Bakersfield) Officer Hector Organista 43
California Highway Patrol (Bakersfield) Officer Ryan Grant 44
California Highway Patrol (Bakersfield) Officer Jason Wood 45
California Highway Patrol (Bakersfield) Officer Brett Otto 45
MADD AWARDS
Between 50 and 99 DUI arrests in 2018
California Highway Patrol (Bakersfield) Officer Freddie Garcia 52
California Highway Patrol (Bakersfield) Officer Chad Smithson 53
Bakersfield Police Department Officer Brandon Carey 59
Bakersfield Police Department Officer Michael Reynolds 59
Bakersfield Police Department Officer Andrew Marquez 61
Bakersfield Police Department Officer Brianna Pace 66
California Highway Patrol (Bakersfield) Officer Eric Medrano 67
California Highway Patrol (Bakersfield) Officer Ahearn Luca 70
Bakersfield Police Department Officer Jose M. Diaz 72
California Highway Patrol (Bakersfield) Officer Daniel Dinsing 73
California Highway Patrol (Bakersfield) Officer Jessie Velasquez 74
California Highway Patrol (Bakersfield) Officer Michael Ramos 77
California Highway Patrol (Bakersfield) Officer Matthew Iturriria 80
California Highway Patrol (Bakersfield) Officer Julio Villalobos 80
California Highway Patrol (Bakersfield) Officer Jaime Cervantes 81
California Highway Patrol (Bakersfield) Officer Jarrod Bone 82
California Highway Patrol (Bakersfield) Officer Jeff Geer 83
California Highway Patrol (Bakersfield) Officer Victor Valadez 84
California Highway Patrol (Bakersfield) Officer Arturo Aldrete 92
California Highway Patrol (Bakersfield) Officer Tomas Martinez 92
California Highway Patrol (Bakersfield) Officer Gregory Jorgensen 96
