Recognition for tremendous contribution to the community
Walt Wohlgemuth (pictured above in light blue) was humbled and thankful for the recognition he received from the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office. Wohlgemuth was congratulated by Sergeant Ron Hanavan (left two photos) and presented the award by Chief Deputy Steve Johnson (right photo).
By Amy Shanahan; photos courtesy of the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office
The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) was pleased to recognize volunteer Walt Wohlgemuth with an award honoring his years of dedication and service to the local Castle Pines community.
Wohlgemuth, a resident of Forest Park, is responsible for starting the Community Safety Volunteer (CSV) program in 2006. This group of citizens support the DCSO by working in the detentions and investigations divisions, and also in the patrol division by driving around Douglas County in marked cars and assisting with many of the duties that do not require sworn officers.
According to DCSO Sergeant Ron Hanavan, Wohlgemuth is the most active volunteer, having dedicated more than 10,000 volunteer hours to his job in the patrol division. That’s tantamount to working roughly five years for free!
Wohlgemuth spends an average of 40 hours per month driving a marked car around Castle Pines and assisting with traffic control, house watches, VIN verifications, and school patrols.
Wohlgemuth says he is proud of the work he does. “I take great satisfaction in knowing that I am helping to keep my community safe and that I am helping the deputies serve the citizens of Douglas County. This is a wonderful place to live and there is a tremendous feeling of accomplishment in knowing that in a small way this volunteer program contributes to that.”
Wohlgemuth continued, “One of the greatest rewards I personally receive from my volunteer work for DCSO is the feeling of belonging to a team of professionals – both the men and women of DCSO and the Community Safety Volunteers. The deputies continually thank us each and every day for our service. The honor of being recognized greatly adds to this feeling.”
Hanavan said he was thrilled to present the honor to Wohlgemuth and offered his praise. “Walt is a genuine, kind and giving person. His dedication and inspiration was the driving factor for Douglas County Sheriff’s Office having this program. Walt sets the bar with his volunteerism and service to his community.”
To learn more about the CSV program, visit www.DCSheriff.net.
