City leaders and various members of the Folsom community came together Thursday afternoon at the City of Folsom’s community center for the annual Public Safety Awards Luncheon sponsored the Rotary Club of Folsom.
In this annual event, several members the Folsom Police Department and the Folsom Fire Department are recognized for their efforts and contributions to public safety as they performed their roles over the past year. This year, a total of seven individuals were named and honored from Folsom Police and Folsom Fire combined.
From the Folsom Police Department, Erica Dawson was named the department’s Dispatcher of the year. While the officers and firefighters in the field are visible to the community, it is dispatchers like Dawson working behind the scenes to assist officers and citizens alike when an emergency takes place.
The police department portion of the awards continued with Detective Will Maslak being named and honored as the Police Officer of the Year. Tracie Callahan was named and honored as the Professional Staff Member of the Year in the Department. The Supervisor of the Year award was presented to Sergeant Mike Grueneberg.
From the Folsom Fire Department, the Firefighter of the Year award was presented to Folsom Firefighter and Paramedic Tyler Smith. The Professional Staff Member of the Year was presented to Alicia Klausing. Supervisor of the Year for the Folsom Fire Department was presented to Captain Brian Beck.
While the awards are sponsored annually by the Rotary Club of Folsom, the service club works closely with the departments and the Sierra Law Enforcement Chaplaincy to make this special event happen each year. Retired Police Captain Paul Bonaventure, a local Rotarian is the chief organizer of the event. The recipients are determined annually by the leadership of their respective departments.
In addition to the awards, the recipients each received a Certificate of Excellence from State Assemblyman Josh Hoover, also a Folsom resident. The recipients of the Firefighter of the Year and Police Officer of the Year were also presented with a commemorative Citizen Watch by Folsom’s Adrian Blanco of Adrian Blanco Jewelry.
Along with the awards, recipients and guests enjoyed a lunch together catered by Sutter Street Taqueria of Folsom.
