Mark Tapia, Omar Figueroa, Jorge Mercado, Curtis Stewart, Avelino Gimutao and Steve Blatchford (Probation)

Deputies Mark Tapia, Omar Figueroa, Jorge Mercado, Curtis Stewart, Avelino Gimutao and Steve Blatchford “are the perfect officers for the work project assignments.”

            “Every one of your probation officers treated us with respect and encouraged us to complete each task we had for the day. They made sure we used the tools in a safe manner and were always thinking of our safety. I now see so many things that need to be addressed in our city. We cleaned homeless camps downtown in canyons in Linda Vista and Mission Valley that I didn’t realize existed. It looked like a jungle but people lived there. We pulled weeds at the railroads in Oceanside and in National City. I can’t even count the bags of trash we collected throughout the city on our streets and freeways. I felt a sense of pride after each day of the work project, knowing that we helped our community in some small way.”

“I hope I never find myself back at the work projects, but if I do, I know what to expect and I hope that you will have probation officers doing their job in the same manner.”