Yolo County Sheriff Ed Prieto announced last week the appointment of John Harryman and Alfred Rosales to the Sheriff’s Team of Active Retired Seniors (STARS).
Harryman, a Woodland resident since 1975, is retired from the title and escrow business, has been married to his wife Kathy for 48 years, and has three children and six grandchildren.
His son-in-law has been a Yolo County sheriff’s deputy for the past 21 years. When Harryman is not volunteering, he enjoys a variety of outdoor activities, including golfing.
Rosales, a lifelong Woodland resident, retired from the telephone company after more than 30 years of service. He has been married to his wife Elisa for 38 years and has two children and one new granddaughter.
After graduating from Woodland High School, Rosales was offered the opportunity to play professional baseball and is well-known in the area for his active involvement on local teams.
Jim Hanney has been selected as the new STARS commander, Prieto said. A resident of Yolo County for more than 12 years, Hanney is a retired federal special agent and former police officer. Prior to his retirement in 1999, Hanney served in a number of high-level law-enforcement positions, including deputy inspector general for criminal investigations with the U. S. Postal Service’s Office of Inspector General.
Hanny and his wife Lana have been married for 46 years and have two daughters.
The STARS program was formed in 2000 as a volunteer program for qualified applicants age 50 and older. STARS members are involved in non-hazardous activities and are not armed, but serve as the “eyes and ears” of the Sheriff’s Department.
This includes crime prevention assignments, citizens’ patrol, vehicle transportation and routine maintenance, operation of the mobile command vehicle, vacation home checks, in-home custody monitoring, special events, traffic control and a variety of office duties.
Several additional programs are being developed to further meet the community’s needs, Prieto said. STARS volunteers contributed more than 3,000 hours in 2011, representing more than $80,000 worth of service donated to the Sheriff’s Department.
One popular service the STARS provide Yolo County residents is a vacation home check, which provides additional security patrol when residents are away. Volunteers routinely check a vacationer’s property for suspicious activity and contact law enforcement officers if necessary.
Residents of the unincorporated county may request a vacation home check by calling the Sheriff’s Department at (530) 668-5280. This service is provided free of charge, but donations are appreciated.
The STARS program is accepting applications from interested Yolo County residents who are at least 50 years old, have a valid driver’s license and can contribute at least 16 hours each month as a volunteer.
Law-enforcement background is not necessary and training is provided. Contact STARS representative Suzanne Ramalia at (530) 668-5298 for more information.