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Supervisor Ranalli recommending the Board:
1) Welcome Sheriff D'Agostini to provide the Board and members of the public with information on the history of the Sheriff's Team of Active Retirees (S.T.A.R.) Volunteer Program and the significant contribution of these volunteers in support of the Sheriff's Office, staff, sworn personnel, programs and the delivery of public safety services to the residents of El Dorado County;
2) Join Sheriff D'Agostini in recognizing the S.T.A.R. volunteers for their dedicated service to the Sheriff's Office, the County of El Dorado and the residents throughout our County; and
3) Approve the signature of all five Board members on Proclamations that recognize the Placerville and South Lake Tahoe S.T.A.R. volunteers. (Est. Time: 30 Min.)
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The El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office began the S.T.A.R. program in 1994 with divisions in both Placerville and South Lake Tahoe. A S.T.A.R. is a senior volunteer who assists the Sheriff’s Office with crime prevention and other programs, at the direction of the Sheriff. S.T.A.R. members are not law enforcement officers and do not participate in making arrests or carrying weapons. S.T.A.R.s perform essential duties allowing deputies in the field more time to spend on patrol services.
The nearly 100 volunteers provide a broad spectrum of community services which capitalize on the skills, aptitudes and preferences of its members. Some of their volunteer responsibilities are:
Patrol duties such as checking on vacation homes as requested by the owner to deter and detect crime; county mail transfers - Placerville to Tahoe; radar trailer placement; office help in Sheriff’s Office Reception, Alarms, Records
and Jail Booking; special events; assisting detectives; El Dorado Hills Substation; Georgetown Substation; fleet (transfer of patrol vehicles); citizen’s academy; STAR academy; Com Van deployments; mall patrol (at Christmas); graffiti abatement and many others.
S.T.A.R. members are also involved in our community in a variety of programs such as YANA (You Are Not Alone), and the Neighborhood Watch Program. After a Neighborhood Watch has been set up, the S.T.A.R.s do extra patrol of the neighborhood for 6 months as a courtesy. During the holidays the S.T.A.R.s deliver food baskets for the El Dorado Food Bank.
In 2017 the S.T.A.R. volunteers donated over 25,210 hours of service to the Sheriff’s Office and attended 71 Community events; and find great value and purpose in giving back to their community.
The volunteer organization's function is to assist and support the Sheriff’s Office; they are the “eyes and the ears” of the department and within the community. The S.T.A.R.s take great pride in what they do. The Sheriff’s Office is extremely fortunate to have such great volunteers.
If one word could best describe the S.T.A.R.s it would be WILLINGNESS; an expression or idea that is repeated, often without thinking about it, and closely associated with something. There is never a lack of willingness amongst the S.T.A.R.s. If asked they are there!