After-School Program Rocks, Wins People’s Choice Award

Oh, to be a kid again! 

Children at the Fallbrook Community Center’s after-school program have it made. They’re having all kinds of fun and don’t even know they’re learning at the same time. But their parents, their school teachers and other community members know. They gladly cast their votes for the after-school program with the best enrichment opportunities.

Out of a pool of 314 school sites, the After School Education and Safety (ASES) Program held jointly at La Paloma Elementary School and Park’s Fallbrook Community Center recently won the People’s Choice award from the San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE).

No wonder. Throughout the school year, these pre-kindergarten to 6^th grade students learn about wide-ranging topics from healthy cooking, nutrition and gardening to anti-bullying and what it takes to become a junior park ranger. They find out about student council, paying it forward, taking pride in your campus, recycling and reducing. Then there’s the computer lab, the graphic novels, night at the museum, activities for diversity month, the game show, learning the states and capitals song and more. Phew!  

On top of that, the kids play sports and games every day with the idea of getting their heart rates up for at least 30 minutes. But it’s not all fun and games, they spend an hour each afternoon doing homework and getting help with it if they get stuck. The Fallbrook Community Center is the only County Parks facility to offer an after-school program and does so with only seven staff members.

“I’m proud of our staff for winning this award,” said Fallbrook Community Center Director Gordon Stone. “It’s a top notch program with a hard working staff and excellent relationships with teachers and school administration.”

Earlier this year, the center’s program won the Lights On award from SDCOE for going above and beyond the scope of their duties in an after-school program.

The program is funded by the state and the Fallbrook Elementary School District and allows for the enrollment of 120 children. Another 100 kids are on a waiting list.

Some 30 to 40 school children take part in the early morning program. The afternoon session runs from the time school lets out at 2:05 p.m. to 6 p.m. and takes place in the La Paloma classrooms or the Fallbrook Community Center right across the street.

 

Registration is $30 for the entire school year and in this low-income area, the fee can be waived. But it’s not child care, program leaders say, it’s an academic assistance program with enrichment opportunities.  The program director helped get the ASES program off the ground eight years ago and there’s no other place she’d rather be. Ashley Westbrook says she loves it.

“Just seeing the students from our first year already in colleges and seeing their siblings come in - it’s really exciting,” said Westbrook.

Once out of sixth grade, many students want to come back and they do – as volunteers.

“Those volunteers say you were right, you trained us well, we wish we could continue with this program and continue to learn,” said Westbrook.

In a way, the school children and their parents become like a second family. Staff members are often asked to help with kids’ behavior and they give out resources for a variety of other concerns too.

As the school year winds down to a close, you’d think the staff would be glad for a breather but Westbrook says the award just added fuel to the fire to do even more and better things next year. Two additional staff members will help them do just that. One plan is to have the kids explore the STEM program which stands for science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Until then, La Paloma grade schoolers will have to just wait. Unless, of course, they want do summer camp. County Parks runs the seven-week session and some of the same kids will attend thanks to financial help from the after-school program. And so it begins. Fallbrook Community Center will once again look like “Kids ‘R Us!”

County Wins 24 NACo Awards for Outstanding Programs

San Diego County senior citizen Alice Hill puts away fruits and vegetables delivered to her as part of HHSA's More on the Menu (MOM) program.What sort of programs win awards? How about these:

A responsible parent initiative to get non-custodial parents to pay child support, fresh produce delivery for homebound senior citizens, an English and Spanish new homeowners taxpayers guide, a design-build project development modification which reduces time, effort and cost for developers, and educational outreach on interactive science are among some of our 2013 National Association of Counties (NACo) Achievement Award winning programs.

The NACo Awards recognize innovative county government programs from throughout the country. In all, the County won 24 NACo Awards for our programs in various categories that aim to modernize county government and increase services to county residents. Winners were notified late last week. San Diego came in second place behind Los Angeles County, which won 25 awards.

The awards are given in 21 categories which include children and youth, civic education and public information, county administration and management, community economic development, emergency management and response, environmental protection and energy, financial management, risk management, health, libraries, and parks and recreation.

Award winning programs needed to demonstrate excellent results.

Child Support’s Responsible Parent Initiative was able to collect $140,000 from 107 non-custodial parents by working with community-based organizations and fatherhood networks.

HHSA’s More on the Menu program provides more than 250 low-income and homebound seniors with a weekly delivery of 7-10 fruits and vegetables to help them meet nutritional needs.

DEH’s educational outreach program engages more than 3,000 elementary, middle and high school students and shows them how science concepts relate to the job of an Environmental Health Specialist. The goal is to attract students with fun scientific demonstrations such as cryogenically freezing flowers and rubber toys. Awards also needed to demonstrate a public need.

The Tax-Treasurer’s New Homeowners Taxpayers Guide available in English and Spanish is distributed through realtors and explains how property tax bills are calculated and how it funds maintenance and improvements in our communities.

General Service’s Design-Build Project Development program was refined to lessen preparation time from 13 weeks to six weeks and reduce cost to developers. As a result, well-qualified firms will see the Design-Build projects as their first choice.

Other award winning programs are:

Public Safety Group

• Establishing Local Assistance Centers (Office of Emergency Services)
• San Diego Emergency Smart Phone Application (Office of Emergency Services)
• Forensic Pathology Residency Training and Autopsy Orientation Program (Medical Examiner)
• Graffiti Tracker (Board Offices/Sheriff)
• Sheriff’s Analysis-Driven Law Enforcement (Sheriff)
• JFAST: Juvenile Forensic Assistance for Stabilization and Treatment Program (Public Defender)
• San Diego Clean Slate Expungement Clinic (Public Defender)
• Child Support Customer E-Message (Child Support Services)
• Responsible Parenting Initiative (Child Support Services)

Health & Human Services Agency

• Neighborhoods for Kids – Bella Vista Community Engagement Project (East Region Child Welfare Services)
• A Look at Poverty - Making a Difference Training (HHSA Human Resources)
• HHSA Long-Term Leaves Program - Process and Tracking (HHSA Human Resources)
• Lean Six Sigma Capacity Building Initiative (HHSA Human Resources)
• ICARE: Integrated Physical Health Care Resources for Mental Health Clients (Behavioral Health Services)
• School-Based Mental Health Worker Career Pathway Program (Behavioral Health Services)
• Low Income Health Program Pay- For-Performance (Health Care Policy Administration)
• More on the Menu (MOM) - Fresh Produce for Homebound Seniors (Aging & Independence Services)

Finance & General Government Group

• New Homeowners Property Tax Guide - English/Spanish (Treasurer-Tax Collector)
• San Diego Investment Pool Temporary Transfer Fund Program (Treasurer-Tax Collector)
• Treasurer-Tax Collector Property Tax Checks Only Process (Treasurer-Tax Collector)
• Mentor Partnership Program (Human Resources)

Community Services Group

•  Design-Build Project Development (General Services)
• 1st Grade @ the Library (Library)

Land Use & Environment Group

• Putting the “WOW” factor into Educational Outreach (Department of Environmental Health)

County Lawyers Accept Service Award Before A Jury of Their Peers

Deputy Public Defenders Frank Barone (right), David Lamb and Randy Mize (left) pose with former Chargers cornerback Quentin Jammer at one of their outreach charity golf tournaments.

A San Diego County deputy public defender and a deputy district attorney were each honored with a 2013 San Diego County Bar Association Service Award and are both featured in this month’s San Diego Lawyer magazine.

The two were among 10 recipients selected countywide.

Deputy Public Defender Frank Barone, 42, who has worked for the Office of the Primary Public Defender for 15 years, was chosen for his work as a founding member of the Public Defender Community Outreach Program, a volunteer charity organization composed of Public Defender staff.  

“We do some great work and we’re certainly proud of it,” he said of the outreach organization.

Barone said someone submitted his name for the award without telling him and he got a call letting him know he’d been selected for it while he was on vacation. He gives the outreach program credit for the honor but clearly he has strong ideals about public service.

 “As members of the Bar, we have the unique opportunity to use our education, specialized knowledge and influence within the community to help others. We should feel compelled to use those resources to assist those less fortunate,” he told the magazine.

Barone said he and Deputy Public Defender David Lamb started the program in 2009. The two work with a committee of others in the office to make charitable selections and plan events. All the Public Defender volunteers are involved because they care about helping others, he said.

The organization’s flagship charity event is a golf tournament that benefits the San Pasqual Academy, the County-operated residential high school for foster children.  In the four years since it formed, the organization has raised nearly $100,000, he said.

The outreach organization has also branched out to include fundraising for other charitable organizations such as Reality Changers, Outdoor Outreach, Village of Promise, and the San Diego Mock Trial Competition, Barone said.

To learn more about the work done by the Public Defender Community Outreach Program, visit http://www.pd-outreach.org/.

Deputy District Attorney George Loyd accepts his service award for his work with the Veteran's Court.Deputy District Attorney George Loyd also accepted an award for his instrumental role in launching Veterans Court, was which offers tailored treatment to non-violent veterans who are going through the criminal justice system.

“I’m honored to be recognized for this pilot program, which has already helped dozens of veterans get their lives on track,” said Loyd. “This program saves money for San Diego County in the long run and addresses some of the issues faced by veterans, including post-traumatic stress disorder.”

The program began in 2011 and helps combat veterans avoid costly incarceration and divert them to mental health treatment programs to help them become productive citizens. The court is a collaborative effort that includes the Superior Court, District Attorney’s Office, Defense Bar, treatment providers and the California Veteran’s Legal Task Force.

Loyd said the program’s success is also due to his fellow Deputy District Attorney’s Harrison Kennedy and Evan Miller who work alongside him in managing the Veterans Court.

“I’m so proud of Deputy DA George Loyd and all who have worked so hard to make Veterans Court successful in its first year,” said District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis. “Our goal is to work together to stop the revolving door to prison. Veterans Court acknowledges the particular challenges faced by the men and women who have served our country while at the same time holding offenders accountable.”

Veterans in the program are monitored with regular court hearings and are supported by Veterans Affairs and other community-based organizations.

 “I think we all have some responsibility to help make this world a litter better place,” Loyd told the magazine.

Finding Peace--and Better Health--through Pedaling

 Sheriff's Cpl. Chuck Russell headed home from work at the County Administration Center on a recent day. He rides his lightweight carbon fiber-framed bicycle from home in San Marcos to work and back a few days a week.

Chuck Russell hadn’t ridden a bike in decades. The San Diego County Sheriff’s Cpl. didn’t even own one anymore.

But he knew he needed to get in shape.

Running for exercise had gotten harder on his middle-aged frame, and his doctor had ordered him to lose weight and get healthy.

“He said, ‘I’ll be surprised if you make it to 60 (years old),” Russell said. “He told me I was going to have a stroke or a heart attack.”

Over the years, Russell had whittled down his waist size by running and eating less.

But four years ago, at age 56, he decided he needed to do more. He figured he would revisit one of his passions as a young man: cycling. Decades earlier during college, Russell had trained with a cycling club and even competed in some cycling races.

He started out slow, first buying a used mountain bike and riding just a few miles at night and on the weekends.

Now, he makes the 36-mile bicycle trek between his home in San Marcos and work at the County Administration Center downtown a few times a week. His compelling story fits with the goals of the County’s Employee Wellness program, which encourages employees to develop healthy choices.

What pushes Russell to pedal so far? The endorphins and the peace of mind he said he gets from riding.

Riding along the coastline, next to the ocean waves, helps him clear his head.

The exercise doesn’t hurt either. He’s almost down to his high school-age pant size, after dropping about 30 lbs. since he started to riding again. His blood pressure and cholesterol are at healthy levels now. Russell said he hopes to lose at least another 10 lbs. with help too from a protein, vegetable and fruit rich diet.

Over the years, Russell said his weight had ballooned due to what he described as his lack of discretion over his eating, combined with a lack of exercise. A star athlete growing up, he’d become obese and developed the common health problems that come with it: high blood pressure, high cholesterol.

“I would eat anything,” he said. “Cheeseburgers. Donuts. Cupcakes. Candy. Soda. Whatever was sitting around…I’m lucky I’m still alive because I was so overweight.”

He started feeling dizzy, depressed--terrible, he said.

When he first started biking again, Russell said he could barely ride uphill. He would ride maybe three, four miles at a time.

He built enough strength and confidence to try the 10 mile ride each way from home to the Coaster train station in Encinitas, where he would catch the train to work in downtown San Diego. Russell works as a supervisor, overseeing the Sheriff’s department staff at the County Administration Center. 

Eventually, he decided he’d try to ride the whole way to work. He navigated a route south on the Coast Highway, past Torrey Pines State Reserve and through the UCSD campus, then through Rose Canyon, around Mission Bay and along Pacific Highway.

The 36 mile ride each way between home and the CAC takes him about two hours and 20 min. total. Sometimes he shortens his ride a bit, driving his car from home to the Encinitas Coaster station, then riding on bike the next 26 miles to the CAC, or taking the Coaster to Encinitas, then riding the final 10 miles home. He squeezes in more riding on the weekends.

One way or another, “I’m riding a bike every day,” he said.

Last month, he said he rode a total of 982 miles.

On the days he rides to work, Russell carries everything he needs in a bag over his shoulder. He stores his Sheriff’s department uniform in a locker at work. For his commute, he dons bike pants, a cycling jersey, cycling shoes that lock into the pedals and a helmet. Over the years, he upgraded from a used mountain bike to a lightweight, carbon fiber-framed bicycle with thin wheels.

In addition to the health benefits, Russell said he’s made a lot of friends bicycling. He meets up with several other cyclists who also commute from North County to ride segments together. Turns out there’s a whole group who used to ride the Coaster and now bike to work instead.

There have been several close calls with cars, and one minor crash. But Russell was OK. He tries to be as careful as he can.

He plans to commute well into the future.

“It’s a passion,” he said. “It makes me young.”

Learn a Life-saving Skill in 5 Minutes

Employees at the County Operations Center or the North Inland Public Health Center can do something potentially life changing on their breaks or lunch hour Tuesday. And it will only take five minutes.

As part of the annual “Sidewalk CPR” day, County Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) Emergency Medical Services staff will be offering hands-only CPR training to County employees from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the 5510 building at the COC and the Public Health Center at 606 East Valley Parkway in Escondido.

Hands-only CPR is cardio pulmonary resuscitation without the mouth-to-mouth breaths and is recommended for use by people who see an adult suddenly collapse. (Traditional CPR is still recommended for all infants and children, drowning victims and adult victims who are already found unconscious and not breathing).

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Coronary heart disease is the most common type of heart disease. Every year about 785,000 Americans have a first heart attack. Approximately 470,000 people who have already had one or more attacks have another.

The prompt delivery of CPR more than doubles a cardiac arrest victim’s chance of survival by helping maintain a blood flow to the heart and brain.

Volunteer Firefighter Wins Big on Game Show

San Diego County Volunteer Fireman Joe Pellegrini, come on down! You are the next contestant on “The Price is Right!”

The 22-year-old Pacific Beach man was among a group of local volunteer firefighters who drove up to Hollywood where “The Price is Right” is filmed. They were there for a special “Salute to Firefighters”. Not only was he selected as a contestant, he scored a new car, and is now likely vying for the son-of-the-year award.

The show taped in March, but contestants sign contracts saying they won’t reveal what happens before it airs. That meant  Pellegrini had to keep a big secret from his family, especially his mother. The show aired today (Friday), but he was assigned to fighting the San Felipe Fire near Borrego Springs, so his mother, grandmother and some friends watched the show without him.

After he got back in the station, he called his mother. She and his grandmother were both really excited about his win, especially his grandmother because it’s her favorite show, he said.

That’s when he told his mother that he was giving her the new 2013 Honda Civic LX because he knew she needed a new car and had been talking about getting one. He called it a late Mother’s Day present.

“She was extremely happy. She thought I was kidding,” Pellegrini said.

His mom almost spoiled her surprise when she noticed a letter from the “Price is Right,” he said. She knew he had won something but she never suspected he would give it to her.

Pellegrini said it was his second visit to the Price is Right show. He had gone up last December with some fraternity brothers and his friend won a showcase. If you’re not a regular viewer, that’s a big deal. Two contestants are given the chance to bid on prize packages worth thousands of dollars, and the closest bid wins. Turns out, his friend’s luck rubbed off on him.

Pelligrini described his experience on the game show. Everyone starts out in a big line outside the studio and tries their best to dazzle the screeners who choose the contestants. People have to take their personality up a notch and come across as outspoken and energetic so they will “make good television,” he said. He obviously made a good impression because he was the only one among his group that was chosen as a contestant.

Inside the studio, the firefighter audience was cheering so loudly as they started the show that he almost didn’t hear his name called.

“Oh, that’s me, that’s me!”  Pellegrini remembers thinking.

He first won an iPad and iPad mini, then had the chance to win a new car. He gave host Drew Carey a junior firefighting badge sticker from San Diego County which the host immediately stuck on his suit. To win the car, Pellegrini had to play a price matching game. Initially, he guessed a wrong answer, but Carey gave Pellegrini a chance to revise two numbers and when he did, he won the car.

Pellegrini volunteers at San Diego Rural fire stations as part the San Diego County Fire Authority. He has been volunteering since October of 2011 and recently earned his bachelor’s of science degree from SDSU as well as a degree in fire protection technology from San Diego Miramar College.

“I love it,” Pellegrini said of volunteering. “Obviously, I’d like to get a (permanent) job at a department. I’m testing and applying wherever I can.” Hopefully, his luck will continue to pay off.

To watch the full episode of the show go to this link. He’s in the second half of the show.

Cooking Demos Offer Healthy Inspiration

 Shirley Salado, a nutrition educator with Farm and Home Advisor, teaches one of the County's new "Cook it Quick!" healthy cooking demonstrations.

 We’ve all been there. We’re rushing home from work, hungry and tired, and have little energy or patience left to cook dinner.

That’s where a series of new cooking demonstrations could provide a boost of inspiration.

The free classes, called “Cook it Quick!” started in April and offer employees practical ideas and instruction on how to put together quick, healthy meals. If you can’t make it to a session in person—there’s just one left June 21 at HHSA’s Health Services Complex on Rosecrans—check out a video of the first class on LMS. It’s simply called, “Wellness Cook It Quick Video.”

County Wellness Coordinator William Erese said he expects the Employee Wellness program to offer more cooking demonstrations in the future.

Shirley Salado, a nutrition educator with Farm and Home Advisor, taught the first two classes. At her class earlier this week, more than a dozen people watched as she started up an electrical wok and put together a vegetable-packed Asian stir-fry dish. She poured in some olive oil, onion, garlic, ginger and then colorful bags of pre-chopped vegetables including carrots, broccoli and cabbage. To add some more flavor, she stuck in some low sodium soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil and seeds and chili flakes too. She encouraged the class to experiment with their favorite healthy seasonings or sauces.

Salado then showed the audience one way of incorporating both fruits and vegetables into breakfast fare by way of a green smoothie. She whipped up a drink in a blender using almond milk, spinach, carrots, pre-cut mango, frozen strawberries and banana.

“At every opportunity, try to build fruits and vegetables into your meals,” Salado said. “You can have a big lunch salad but why not start in the morning?”

She also showed off a chili dish she’d prepared the night before and then simmered all day in a slow cooker. She substituted chicken for turkey in this recipe below, which is also available online through Martha Stewart’s website here.

Spicy Turkey Chili

Prep time: 15 minutes

Total time: 3 hours, 45 minutes

Yield: serves 6

 

Ingredients:

·       1 1/2 lb. boneless, skinless turkey thighs cut into one inch pieces

·       3 cloves garlic, minced

·       1 medium yellow onion, diced small

·       2 Serrano chilies, seeded and minced

·       1 chipotle chili in adobo, seeded and minced

·       1 can (28 oz.) whole peeled tomatoes, pureed

·       2 tbsp. chili powder

·       Coarse salt

·       2 cans (15.5 oz. each) of black beans, drained and rinsed

·       1 tbsp. white vinegar

 

      Directions:

1.   In a 5- to 6- quart slow cooker, combine turkey, garlic, onion, Serrano chilies, chipotle chile, tomato puree, chili powder and one teaspoon salt. Cover and cook on high until turkey is fork-tender, 3 hours (or 6 hours on low). Add beans and cook until warmed through, about 30 min. more. Stir in vinegar and season with salt.

 

Cook’s Note:

Serve the chili with sliced jalapenos for heat, cilantro for fresh flavor and a dollop of sour cream to cool things off.

(From Martha Stewart Living magazine March 2013)

To sign up for a cooking demo or to watch the video of one, visit LMS.

Taking Her Customers’ Needs to Heart

Maria “Mia” Ruffier noticed her customer was having a hard time speaking one day in March. He was stuttering. A Board Assistant in the Clerk of the Board of Supervisor’s Office, Ruffier didn’t know if this was his normal speaking style or if the elderly gentleman was a little nervous.

As Ruffier, who is bilingual in English and Spanish, went through his passport application, she spoke with the man in his native Spanish. Ruffier spends the busy lunch hour – noon to 1 p.m. -- each day processing passports at the County Administration Center. She typically helps between four and seven customers a day.

A few minutes into their exchange, Ruffier noticed the man’s face losing color. It seemed to be turning gray. He reminded her of her late grandfather, who she used to tell to slow down and take care of himself.

She asked the man if he was feeling OK. No, he said. “I don’t feel good,” he replied in Spanish.

Turns out he’d felt dizzy the night before, too. She offered him a glass of water and he accepted. A few more minutes later, his application was ready to go and so the man started to get up. He began pushing himself up and out of a chair when the whole right side of his body just shut down. Ruffier gasped and leaned toward him, trying to prop him up.

"The muscles weren’t working,” Ruffier said. “They weren’t responding.”

“Siéntese, siéntese,” she told him in Spanish, meaning sit down, sit down.

Ruffier ran around the desk, calling out to her supervisor: “my customer almost fell over!” He had become dizzy and lost feeling in his arm, he said. He didn’t know what happened. She pulled up a chair and sat with him until Sheriff’s deputies and paramedics arrived. She explained to them the situation and the symptoms the man was experiencing.

Ruffier called the customer’s wife and told her what was going on. She put the man’s belongings in a plastic bag and gave it to the paramedics, who took him out in a stretcher. He thanked her.

“I almost wanted to cry,” she said.

Turned out the man had a history of heart trouble. He’d had two heart attacks. This time, Ruffier believes he was having a stroke, though she lost touch with him so she doesn’t know for sure. But his symptoms fit some of the key warning signs of a stroke, which according to the National Stroke Association, are:

• numbness or weakness in the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body
• confusion, trouble speaking or understanding
• trouble seeing in one or both eyes
• trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
• severe headache with no known cause

Ruffier said she was just glad this happened at the County Administration Center, where he was surrounded by people who could help. He had traveled by himself from his home in National City that day.

For her actions, she received a quarterly Clerk’s award. She called that humbling. Clerk of the Board Thomas J. Pastuszka said his department’s mission is to provide consistently excellent service to customers, and he praised Ruffier’s readiness to step in and help.

“In this situation, Mia's attentiveness and quick action made a significant impact on this gentleman's life,” Pastuszka said. “I am proud of her and all our staff who work hard to create a positive experience for our customers.”

Ruffier said she did what she would want someone else to do for her. “He was my priority,” she said.

“My mother used to say, ‘them today, us tomorrow,’ and it’s true.”

To learn more about preventing a stroke, check out this County News Center public service announcement featuring Supervisor Ron Roberts: Strike Out Stroke.

Edgemoor Honors RN and CNA of the Year

Wendy Liu was honored as the Edgemoor Skilled Nursing Facilities Nurse of the Year.

Phoebe Pascua was honored as the Certified Nursing Assistant of the Year at Edgemoor.

Dr. Rebecca Ferrini, Edgemoor's Medical Director, at the luncheon honoring the nurse and CNA of the year at Edgemoor.

Attendees enjoyed a healthy Live Well, San Diego! luncheon selection of fresh fruit.

Phoebe Pascua, left, Edgemoor CNA of the Year, and Wendy Liu, Edgemoor Nurse of the Year

Records Clerk's Total Recall Helps Nab Suspect

On average, Probation records clerk Mimi Bailey enters 156 probation cases per month, and she’s processed thousands of probationers’ cases in her job. Still, three months ago she immediately recognized one of them from a San Diego Police Department “Be on the Look Out” (BOLO) email flier and that led to his arrest for new crimes.

Bailey recently received a letter from the San Diego Police Department detective assigned to the case commending her for her sharp eyes.

She had entered the probationer’s case two to three months prior, but she not only recognized him from the photograph on the flier, she remembered that he was on probation for committing a similar crime using the same methods.

“I have a very good photogenic memory.  I can see someone today and then four days later see him in the community and say, ‘Oh that’s the guy and remember everything about the case,’” said Bailey.

She felt certain the probationer was the same person in the police flier about a man who was stealing over-the-counter medications from drug and grocery stores. She immediately notified her supervisor and sent a link to his photo.

The information was forwarded to San Diego police detective Bobby Rollins, who was able to pin three other store burglaries on the man.  Bailey said she was told the guy admitted committing the crimes when the detective showed him the photos.

“This is a prime example of having a quality employee that is focused on her work. (She) is to be commended for her job knowledge, enthusiasm and attention to detail, said Rollins in a letter to the Probation Department.

Law enforcement frequently sends the BOLO fliers, and Bailey always takes a look, but this is the first time she has recognized a wanted criminal. Bailey has worked for the County for 10 years, and she said it was nice to be recognized within her department.

She has a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and is three classes away from earning a master’s degree in psychology. She aspires to work in law enforcement someday, perhaps as a homicide detective or a with the medical examiner’s office.