“Larry became a regular full-time officer in 2007, in fact after this short time,” MacKinnon said Johnson was lauded by his peers as the 2008 Officer of the Year by the Santa Paula Police Officers Association. In fulfilling his duties, Johnson has demonstrated strong initiative in proactive and reactive crime-fighting that has earned him the respect of not only his peers, but also of gang members, MacKinnon said.Johnson is active with the SPPD Special Response Team, among others, and he consistently demonstrates “an ‘up’ attitude that has earned him great respect from his peers.... Officers with 15 to 20 years experience say it is spectacular what Officer Johnson has pulled off” when it comes to not only fighting and preventing crime, but also in his interactions with Santa Paula citizens. “Officer Johnson,” added MacKinnon, “is the epitome of what community policing is all about.”“Officer Johnson loves his work, loves his job and has a young family,” Grant said later. “It’s marvelous we can give this award to such a nice man and such a fine officer who is so well regarded by his peers. He said he sure likes his job and really enjoys what he does... and he proves it by the fine job he does for the community.”Kiwanis Club of East Ventura President Sharon Robinson, the wife of former CAL-NEV-HA Division 42 Lieutenant Governor and Santa Paula Councilman Fred Robinson, helped DA Totten present the Officer of the Year Award to Deputy District Investigator II Cloyce Conway.Others honored were: CHP West County Officer Micah Whiteford by Lieutenant Governor Wes Miller of CAL-NEV-HA Division 42; CHP East County Officer Jaime Morado by Sergeant Mike Curtin and Ventura Kiwanis Past President Bart Bleuel; CHP Truck Station Facility Officer Thomas Kindhart, by Lieutenant Steve Munday and Ventura Kiwanis Past President Patty Shultz; Camarillo PD Senior Deputy Shane Zaring by Captain Monica McGrath and Camarillo Kiwanis President Joe Dilibert; Fillmore PD Deputy Beau Rodriguez by Captain Tim Hagel and Ventura Past President Dave Schmutte; Moorpark PD Deputy James Tedder by Captain Ron Nelson and Moorpark Kiwanis President Charles Kaufman; Ojai PD Deputy Sara Valenzuela by Captain Chris Dunn and Ventura Kiwanis Past President Maria Sudarmadji; Oxnard PD Officer Bakari Myers by Chief John Crombach and Oxnard Kiwanis President Elect Sergio Martinez; Port Hueneme PD Commander Jerry Beck by Chief Fernando Estrella and PH Kiwanis President Kristie Elzinga; Simi Valley PD Senior Officer Travis Coffey by Captain John McGinty and Simi Valley Kiwanis President Dale Kauffman; Thousand Oaks PD Senior Deputy Richard Godfrey by Commander Jeff Matson and Thousand Oaks Kiwanis President David Biedebach; Ventura County Sheriff’s Department Sergeant Bill Schierman by Captain Mike Aranda and Kiwanis of Ventura Suburban President Harvey Sneed; and Ventura PD Officer Adam Delgado by Assistant Chief Ken Corney and Ventura Kiwanis President Elect Matt Kohagen.
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SPPD Officer of the Year Larry Johnson (second from left) is congratulated by (left to right) Police Chief Steve MacKinnon, Ventura County District Attorney Greg Totten and Kiwanis Club of Santa Paula President Bill Grant at the 42nd Annual Kiwanis Law Day celebration. |
SPPD Officer of the Year Larry Johnson honored by Kiwanis Law Day Award
June 17, 2009
Santa Paula News
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula TimesKiwanis Club of Ventura honored Santa Paula Police Officer Larry Johnson and more than a dozen other outstanding law enforcers at the 42nd Annual Law Day Awards banquet. The celebration, held May 29 at the Four Points Sheraton in Ventura, drew Kiwanis Club members and honored Officers of the Year from throughout Ventura County.“I was very pleased with the selection of Officer Johnson,” said Kiwanis Club of Santa Paula President Bill Grant, “and that a SPPD officer was selected that is young and fresh on the squad. It lets others know there’s something for them to look forward to.”All officers honored “are a shining example of commitment to community,” said Master of Ceremonies and Kiwanian Lou Cunningham.San Buenaventura Mayor Christy Weir welcomed the hundreds in attendance to the ceremony, which recognized 15 crime-fighters, including a member of the District Attorney’s Office.“We have heroes among us,” said District Attorney Greg Totten, “and it gives me great pleasure to recognize these heroes.”“I started my career in New England,” noted Santa Paula Police Chief Steve MacKinnon, “and I appreciate these efforts to recognize” the efforts and accomplishments of law enforcement. MacKinnon and Grant presented the Officer of the Year Award to Officer Johnson, who joined the SPPD as a Reserve Officer in 2005.
