Walnut Creek Police Commend Citizens

Update May 25 with police promotions.

The Walnut Creek police have honored the community's finest. In a ceremony earlier this month at the Lesher Center for the Arts, police brass handed out awards to citizens, including:

Citizens Commendation Award: Diane Hopkins — Last Dec. 6, Hopkins was driving on Oak Grove Road and noticed another car careen into a cement barrier. She stopped, ran to the car, saw that the driver was unconscious, put the car in park and called WCPD. The driver suffered from a medical condition that caused him to lose control. Hopkins tended to the driver in and out of consciousness until paramedics arrived. She was cited for her "willingness to get involved and unselfish actions."

Multiple Awards: Thomas (Zach) Taylor, Joe Madison, Tamara Rich, Scott Thorne and Noah Ochoa. This group of citizens heard an alarm sounding and suspects fleeing Nordstrom store on Dec. 3 carrying expensive purses. Taylor and Madison confronted one suspect and wrestled him to the ground. The suspect used pepper spray, but still the two citizens persisted. Taylor used his cellphone to call police. Rich and Thorne helped in restraining the suspect until officers arrived. Ochoa, an employee of Enterprise Rental Cars in Oakland, called WCPD to say that he recognized the suspect from photos and had rented him a car the day of the robbery. Taylor and Madison received the Walnut Creek Police Chief's Award from Police Chief Joel Bryden.

Citizens Commendation Awards: Paul Rapisardo and Cara Talbot —  Talbot and Rapisardo were commended for keeping a cool head in confronting a burglar and directing police to his vehicle. They arrived at their residence to find a man coming out of the side door of their garage. Rapisardo confronted the man, who said he was looking for a friend. The residents noticed a motorcycle in the garage had been moved. The would-be thief drove off in a car parked nearby and Rapisardo and Talbot followed, with the latter using her cell phone to call police with a description of the man, the car and the license plate. Police located the vehicle and charged with drive first-degree burglary.

Citizens Commendation Awards: Chase Herring and Gabriel Gaubert. On Aug. 18, 2011, SCPD officers pursued a vehicle for multiple traffic violations. The vehicle crashed and the driver fled on foot in a residential area. As police were setting up a perimeter, residents Chase Herring and Gabriel Gaubert pointed them to their back yard where they heard activity. They confronted the suspect, shining a flashlight on him, and then police caught up and made the arrest for felony evading and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

The WCPD gave certificates of appreciation to Don and Sue Randall and Chaplain Darrell Warner.

The Cadet of the Year was Tamim Hamid.

The Walter Stern Award Volunteer of the Year was Joan From.

The WCPD announced a series of promotions:

Senior officers: Andrew Brown, Alfredo Godinez, Tamara Keagy, Andrew Lingua, Michael Sugrue.

Master Officer I: William Jeha, Anthony Mangini, Nicole Rosenbusch, Bryan Vevera.

Police Reserve Officer: Alan Dong, Barry Fishler, Patrick O'Donnell, Edward Ramaiya.

Police Reserve Sergeant: Robert Moore, Lawrence Sardi.

Police Reserve Lieutenant: Harvey Kuo.

Police Reserve Captain: Christopher Flath.

Police Assistant/ Dispatcher: Leticia Toliver, Jennifer Green.

Lead Police Assistant/ Dispatcher: Tamara Kast.

Executive Assistant: Viki Miranda.

Police Services Supervisor: Tori Maxfield.

Police Officer: Scott Bezner, Guy Ezard.

Police Sergeant: Steve Bertolozzi.

Police Lieutenant: Steve Gorski.