STAR RECRUITMENT

The Sheriff’s Team of Active Retirees (S.T.A.R.) Program is comprised of senior citizens who are utilized to enhance vital crime prevention services in the community.  The STARs conduct patrols in specially marked STAR vehicles, functioning as the eyes and ears of the Sheriff’s Department, reporting any suspicious activity observed.  The S.T.A.R. Program is a Crime Prevention Program exercising proactive law enforcement principles.  All volunteer members have a personal interest in helping the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office and their community.

STARs help with:

• Conducting business/home security checks
• Patrol Trailheads, beaches, and campgrounds
• Provide traffic control at accident scenes, forest fires, and other emergency events
• Assist at the Drug Store Project, The Day of the Young Child, Sober Grad Night, and other community events

• Patrol school parking lots, school bus stops, and neighborhoods

To become an active member in the S.T.A.R. Program, all applicants must attend a two-week S.T.A.R. Training Academy, where volunteers gain knowledge of patrol procedures, radio communications, traffic control, vacation home checks, and Sheriff’s Office Policy and Procedures.

The Volunteer approach is termed Passive Law Enforcement and is being successfully used in many cities and counties.  Putting people on neighborhood and business patrols frees up Deputies for patrol service.  As a volunteer worker, you will have an obligation to the public we serve to maintain the highest ethical standards in both personal and official conduct.

Anyone wishing to become a STAR, please contact Lori Hatfield at (530)621-5111

For Immediate Release

Felony Vandalism from Juvenile/Young Adult Party

 On March 12^th, 2016 at 10:20 pm, Deputies responded to a reported party at a residence on Keystone Court in El Dorado Hills.

When the first Deputy arrived in the area, there were approximately 200+ young adults and juveniles at the location.  As soon as the first party goers saw the Deputy they started fleeing and yelling that the cops were there.  More Deputies arrived on scene and 14 young adults were detained.  At the conclusion of the investigation, the 14 young adults were cited for criminal trespass and released.

During the course of the initial investigation, it was determined the house was unoccupied and had recently been sold.  Upon searching the residence, Deputies noticed extensive damage to the residence including numerous holes in the walls, numerous damaged electronic devices, and other extensive damage to the interior and exterior of the residence.  The damage was extensive enough to meet the threshold to be considered felony vandalism and an active investigation is underway to identify and arrest the persons responsible for causing the damage.

Anyone with information related to this incident is asked to contact the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office at (530)621-6600.

For Immediate Release

Lieutenant Jim Byers

Wine Country Station Robbery

This morning at approximately 5:30 am, the Wine Country Station, just off Hwy 50 in Camino was robbed at gunpoint. The suspect brandished a handgun while committing the robbery. An alert witness outside the store observed the suspect fleeing the area in a vehicle, and the witness provided excellent information for responding Deputies. This information lead to the discovery of the unoccupied suspect vehicle crashed at the intersection of Broadway and Smith Flat Road, just East of Placerville.

An extensive search of the area for the suspect was immediately conducted by Deputies, Placerville Police, and the California Highway Patrol Officers. Affected schools in the area of Schnell School were searched for the suspect and deemed safe by law enforcement.

As search teams were leaving the schools, the suspect was observed walking through the parking lot of the Dollar Store on upper Broadway, in the City of Placerville.  Several Deputies contacted the suspect and detained him.  A handgun was found on the suspect, and the vehicle he was seen driving in was stolen out of Carson City, Nevada.

The suspect was identified as 22 year old Aaron Donald Friesen, a resident of Carson City, Nevada.   A records check of Friesen revealed he had a felony warrant out of Carson City, Nevada for domestic violence, and was considered armed and dangerous.

 Aaron Donald Friesen