Yuba County Sheriff's Office

Tommy Oakes once made – and lost – a bet that he could sit still and be quiet for one minute. Properly channeled, this limitless energy has made him one of Yuba County’s most productive narcotics agents in recent history, and earned him recognition as Yuba County’s Peace Officer of the Year. Thomas Oakes, or Tommy, as everyone knows him, joined the Yuba County Sheriff’s Department in 1994 as a reserve deputy on patrol.After a few months, he beganworking full time as a jail deputy in March 1995. Tommy left Yuba County to move to El Paso County, Colorado in 1997, where he also worked as a jailer for a couple years.

In July 1999, Tommy returned to Yuba County as a jail deputy. He applied for a patrol position, and was accepted. Tommy began work as a patrol deputy in June 2000. He quickly distinguished himself as an enthusiastic and energetic worker who kept the dispatch center busy with numerous traffic stops and vehicle pursuits.

Tommy’s hard work and attention to officer safety paid off when he was selected for the department’s SWAT team in 2001, and his proficiency in firearms earned him the department’s “Top Gun” award in 2002. He also spent time working in boat patrol, bike patrol, and as a deputy assigned to the foothill region of Yuba County. In 2002, Tommy transferred to Yuba County’s Community Oriented Policing division, where he learned to work cooperatively with other agencies and businesses to prevent crime and improve the quality of life for Yuba County’s citizens.

In 2003, Tommy suffered a torn ACL while chasing a suspect who had tried to stab him. After knee surgery and intense postoperative training, he returned to work in late 2004 determined to outsmart the bad guys rather than chase them down. During this time, he mentored many young deputies and led the department in monthly arrest statistics for most of 2005. His accomplishments earned him a spot as a narcotics agent in NET-5, fulfilling a lifelong ambition.

Tommy’s three-year assignment to NET-5 was a natural fit, and one of the most productive on record. His gift of gab, coupled with his tenacity and ceaseless energy, helped him successfully cultivate more informants and cases than most people in their right minds would take on. Tommy received recognition for two major cases he initiated and helped orchestrate: Operation Triple C, and Operation Showdown. Over 20 individuals were arrested during Triple C, many of whom were subsequently convicted of federal drug charges. In 2007, Tommy was awarded Yuba County’s bronze medal for his outstanding achievement in Operation Triple C, and in 2008 he received a letter of commendation from the Yuba County District Attorney’s office applauding his hard work in this and other cases.

In November 2008, Operation Showdown brought about the arrests of 51 people for drug, weapons, and gang charges. In his role as lead agent in this case, Tommy was part of the execution of 18 search warrants and 33 arrest warrants, which led to the seizure of 2,500 grams of methamphetamine, 19,000 grams of marijuana, 22 firearms, 186 marijuana plants, and over $100,000 in drug proceeds. Despite Tommy’s busy caseload, he also managed to earn a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice in 2007.

Tommy returned to patrol in December 2008, where he continues to entertain his coworkers and be extremely proactive. He was recently promoted to a Field Training Officer position, and will begin training new deputies in 2009.

Tommy lives in Loma Rica with his wife, Melanie, their three children, Kaitlan, Jacob, and Sophie, and an ever-growing herd of animals. When he’s not working, he enjoys hunting, World War II history, and rooting for the San Francisco 49ers.

YUBA COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT

CORRECTIONAL OFFICER OF THE YEAR 2008

MARCEL VAN DE BRUINHORST

Marcel van de Bruinhorst left a successful law enforcement career in Holland and moved to Yuba City in 1998 – because he fell in love. In the ten years since he arrived, Marcel has gotten married, received an American high school diploma, graduated from the police academy, and received several promotions and special assignments in his new career at the Yuba County Jail, all culminating with his recognition as the Correctional Officer of the Year.

Marcel was hired by the Dutch Federal Military Police at the age of 17. He completed their academy in December 1986, and became one of the youngest Federal Military police officers in the country. In 1987 he was assigned to an 18-month detail providing protection services for Queen Beatrix at The Hague. After this assignment, Marcel worked for four years in the patrol and detective divisions at the Rijswijk AFB Police Department, followed by five years in the same roles at a police department in Gouda. During this time, he also accepted special assignments as a motorcycle officer and a member of the Crowd Control Squad, and received a college degree in Commercial Security.

In 1993 and 1994, Marcel spent 18 months as part of the Multinational Forces and Observers, a detail which provided police services for the military forces stationed in the Sinai Desert in Egypt. He returned home to Gouda, and in 1995 was transferred to Rotterdam International Airport, where he worked in Customs Enforcement. In 1996 he was trained as a member of the Explosives Search Squad, a team specializing in searching buildings for explosive devices. Marcel resigned in 1998 to move to the United States.

Marcel began working at the Yuba County Sheriff’s Department in 2000 as a jail deputy. He also worked part time as a reserve patrol deputy for Sutter County Sheriff’s Department, and a reserve police officer for Marysville Police Department. Marcel completed both his high school diploma and the police academy during his first two years of employment in the jail, a testament to his work ethic. Despite the long hours and multiple schedules he juggled during this time, Marcel was known by everyone at the department for being constantly pleasant, a reputation he maintains to this day. In May 2003 Marcel was promoted to a Jail Training Officer position. In March 2006, he became a Jail Corporal, and was responsible for first-line supervision of jail employees.

Marcel quickly distinguished himself in a supervisory role and was promoted to Sergeant in October 2007. The following November, he was given the job of Administrative Sergeant in the jail, the position he currently holds. As such, he is responsible for overseeing the reserve and extra help deputies, and the Jail Training Officer program. Marcel supervises the department’s maintenance division, and the various inmate programs in the jail, as well as assisting the Jail Captain with numerous other duties. Marcel is seen as a “go-to” employee by his superiors, who know that they can rely on him to get the job done. He has proven himself as hard-working, reliable, and ethical; but more importantly, he is always a pleasure to deal with. He uses his upbeat personality and contagious energy to help tackle any challenge that is set before him.

Marcel lives in Yuba City with his wife Cathy and her son Taylor.

YUBA COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT

EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR 2008

JENNY MERVINE

Jennifer Mervine is the first Yuba County employee to formally request a jetpack, a hovercraft, and a bloodhound to assist her in her work. She is also the only employee innovative enough to conceive of – and successfully use – a stun gun in capturing fingerprints. A hard worker, creative thinker, and true original, Jennifer Mervine is Yuba County Sheriff’s non-sworn employee of the year.

Jennifer started work with the Yuba County Sheriff’s Department in April 2002. She was originally employed as the department’s Records Technician. As such, she was responsible not only for maintaining crime reports, but also assisting with other tasks such as sex and drug offender registration, applicant fingerprinting, and concealed weapons permits. While working full time in records, Jennifer successfully obtained her bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice Administration.

In February 2006, Jennifer was promoted to Community Service Officer, a position she attacked with her characteristic enthusiasm. Jennifer’s love of processing crime scenes soon earned her a reputation for being thorough, persistent, and creative in this area. On one occasion she used a ladder to collect fingerprints from a hidden second story window at a home that had been burglarized. The prints she collected enabled investigators to solve a string of burglaries in the area, during which over $20,000 worth of property had been stolen.

Jennifer also took the initiative to create tools for collecting evidence when she did not have the equipment. When she heard about an electrostatic dust impression lifter used for capturing fingerprints left on dusty surfaces, Jennifer researched it and found the price tag was well beyond the department’s budget. Instead of being deterred, Jennifer used a stun gun and Mylar window tinting to create her own very effective fingerprint lifting technique. She has since put this technique to use on several cases, enabling her to preserve fingerprints which would have previously been considered unliftable.

In November 2008, Jennifer took on a new role in the Investigations Unit. Her job, a new one in the department, was designed to assist the detectives with a variety of tasks, including electronic fingerprint identification, missing persons cases, stolen property recovery, and major case crime scene investigation. Jennifer has already dived headlong into her new position, using her unique combination of intelligence, energy, and tenacity to expand the boundaries of her position and redefine the role of a Community Service Officer.

Jennifer lives in Yuba County with her husband, Kyle. She has three sons: Jeremy, who is enlisted in the Army and currently serving in Iraq; Cory, who is a high school senior and a member of the Army reserves; and Drake, who is in the first grade. When she’s not busy coming up with inventions to help her on the job, Jennifer also enjoys her reputation as a talented amateur beermaker.

YUBA COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT

RESERVE OFFICER OF THE YEAR 2008

GARY DAMRON

Gary Damron began work as a Reserve Deputy at the Yuba County Sheriff’s Department in 1996. After only one year as a reserve, he was chosen as the 1997 Reserve of the Year, an award he received again in 2003. Gary is the department’s first reserve deputy to be selected three times for this honor, a testament to the high regard that he is held in by coworkers and supervisors alike.

Both animated and opinionated, Gary rarely leaves others in the dark as to his thoughts and feelings on issues. He challenges deputies to think about officer safety, something he takes seriously. Gary often throws out “what would you do if…” scenarios when he rides with newer deputies. After 12 years at the sheriff’s department, Gary has assumed the role of father figure to many of the younger deputies, and has unofficially helped train many people in the department. He is a force to be reckoned with, and a welcome addition to any shift he works. As one deputy said, “I always feel better when Gary is in my car.”

Gary’s supervisors mention his dedication, reliability, and work ethic. Gary is always willing to work when asked, and it is very seldom that he cannot fulfill a request to help with special assignments. As a reserve, Gary stands out because of his initiative. When he sees something that needs to be done, he doesn’t wait to be asked to help.

Gary lives in Yuba City with his wife, Nancy. He is an avid outdoorsman, and a proud father and grandfather.

YUBA COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT

VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR 2008

EDDIE NORRIS

Eddie K Norris, or “The Colonel,” as he was affectionately known to many at the Sheriff’s Department, served as a STARS (Sheriff’s Team of Active Residents in Service) volunteer from 1999 to 2008. During that time, he logged in excess of 7,000 hours serving the sheriff’s department and the community.

Eddie’s primary duty was providing support for the Records Division. He assisted in a variety of records functions, such as registering drug offenders and maintaining their files, providing quality control by checking reports for errors, and other miscellaneous duties. He excelled at customer service and represented the sheriff’s department well in his interactions with the public. Eddie also participated in many community events and helped in a support services role for a number of department operations. He served as the STARS Valley Watch Commander, which made him responsible for coordinating volunteers with activities.

Eddie’s most important role as a STARS volunteer was an unofficial one. He boosted the spirits and morale of everyone around him with his hugs and ability to listen. It was not uncommon to walk through the Records Department and hear Eddie telling stories about his last cross-country trip, wild “bronc-busting” days, or his square dancing get-togethers – all told in his inimitable Texas twang. Eddie and his wife, Fannie Bess, unofficially adopted many of the sheriff’s department employees and their families. He loved to see and hold any new babies born into the department, and many became like grandchildren to him and Fannie Bess.

Eddie was given his award by Sheriff Durfor in a private ceremony at his home on December 12, 2008. He passed away the next afternoon, finally at peace after a long and difficult battle with cancer.

Photographs taken by Paula Gomes