From breaking up a burglary ring targeting houses getting fumigated to locating dozens of stolen vehicles to completing a host of thankless tasks, 10 law enforcement officers shared the spotlight on Wednesday.
The Santa Maria Elks Lodge hosted the annual Law Enforcement Appreciation Night, doling out recognition to members of 10 agencies.
Senior investigator Michael Huffman from the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office and Senior Deputy David Frawley from the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office were recognized by leaders of their agencies.
Huffman, a former Santa Maria police officer, began working as an investigator with the District Attorney’s Office in January 2021, but had already nabbed other awards.
Chief investigator Christina Perkins and Deputy District Attorney Austin Ingalls recognized Huffman’s helpful roles during an armed robbery trial where the original prosecutor suddenly went on administrative leave last year.
Ingalls stepped into the case with little information about the facts of the case or evidence.
“But I had Mike,” Ingalls said. “Mike knew it all.”
Based on circumstantial evidence, the case spanned three counties and two states, Ingalls said.
“The case would not have turned out the way it was if it wasn’t for Mike Huffman really pulling his weight and some,” Ingalls said, adding that Huffman “did every single thing with a smile on his face.”
Undersheriff Craig Bonner outlined the actions that led to the selection of Frawley, an 18-year member of the Sheriff’s Office and a St. Joseph High School graduate.
“Dave’s tenacity and investigative prowess have shown brightly over this past year during a number of significant investigations,” Bonner said. “One such example was the dismantling of a prolific fumigation tent burglary ring.”
Frawley supervised deputies from multiple shifts to identify suspects and wrote search warrants, leading to the arrest of the primary culprit responsible for more than 30 burglaries, Bonner said.
Frawley also spearheaded efforts to build a countywide scheduling system for the Sheriff’s Office, Bonner added.
“This truly was a significant advancement in the efficiency of our organization,” Bonner said.
The Santa Maria Police Department’s top officer, Rafael Pacheco, recovered more than 100 stolen vehicles leading to arrests in 2022, Chief Marc Schneider said.
“That was a result of him just being a diligent worker and doing the things that he needed to do on investigations to bring a case to the DA’s Office for prosecution,” Schneider said.
Pacheco also served as a field training officer, displaying patience and a genuine desire to teach, Schneider said.
Ken George, a retired Santa Maria police lieutenant who worked as the Allan Hancock College Law Enforcement Academy coordinator for eight years, also was honored for his role in training more than 400 future police officers and sheriff’s deputies.
More than 200 people attended the Elks’ 51st annual Law Enforcement Appreciation Night dinner, where Fifth District Supervisor Steve Lavagnino served as master of ceremonies for the presentations.
“You do a great service to our local law enforcement community. This is an important event, that not only brings our profession and our community together but also provides a way to showcase the extraordinary work that our local law enforcement professionals are doing on a daily basis,” Bonner said.
“The Elks are a key component of what makes Santa Maria a great place to live, work and recreate.”
Other honorees were: Santa Maria Recreation and Parks Ranger Ruben Ramirez, Santa Barbara County Deputy Probation Officer Miguel Ochoa, Santa Maria California Highway Patrol Officer Carlton Streebel, Buellton CHP Officer Felipe Hernandez, Guadalupe Code Enforcement Officer Josue Meraz and Allan Hancock College Police Department Campus Safety Officer Mark LaCasse.
The award recipients also received recognition from Lavagnino plus representatives of Assemblyman Gregg Hart, Fourth District Supervisor Bob Nelson, the Santa Maria City Council and the Guadalupe City Council.