Law Enforcement Honor their own in Fight against Vehicle Theft

EUREKA, Ca (KIEM)- The Eureka Police Department and California Highway patrol gathered today at the Humboldt area foundation to honor their own in the fight against vehicle theft.

The award presentation is put on each year by the CHP and the California state Automobile Association Insurance Group.

 It’s a way to recognize those officers from allied agencies and highway patrol for recovering stolen vehicles.

The 10851 award is named after the section of code that deals with auto theft.

To win the award California Highway Patrol Capt. Brett Fabberi says three criteria need to be met.

“It’s either twelve recoveries (stolen vehicles), where three of them have a suspect, six (stole vehicles) with a suspect or you break-up a vehicle ring,” Fabberi said.   “We have some officers here that won multiple awards in that one year period. In fact we have one that won four awards.”

That officer is Eureka Police Officer Joseph Couch.

“It feels pretty good,” Couch said. “It’s awards for hard work.”

Hard work his co-workers have exhibited while on the job in law enforcement.

“A couple of my partners won the same awards.” Couch said. “It’s really nice to see the Eureka Police Department developing officers into some go-getters, really focus on community policing and trying to help out the citizens of Eureka.”