John Warren, center holding plaque, was recognized recently at a city council for his community service. He is surrounded by his VOP colleagues. Also in photo, Mayor Gabe Garcia, front left; Norwalk Sheriff Station Captain Pat Maxwell, back center, and to his right, La Mirada Lieutenant Pat Valdez.

La Mirada~At last week’s meeting, the city council recognized Sheriff’s Department volunteer John Warren for his dedicated service to the community and presented him with a recognition plaque.

Warren is part of the Volunteers on Patrol (VOP) team at the Norwalk Sheriff’s Station and was recently selected as the Sheriff’s Region 3 Volunteer of the Year.

The VOPS serve as a valuable resource to La Mirada’s Public Safety Team, acting as the eyes and the ears of the Sheriff’s Department. They identify suspicious activities, report crimes in progress, and identify dangerous situations.

John joined the U.S. Air Force after graduating high school at a time when the nation was embroiled in the Vietnam War.

After his time in the military he completed the Police Academy; however he then enjoyed a 32 year career with Unified Grocers.

John volunteered for the Red Cross for about 15 years. He was a CPR and Advanced First Aid Instructor, coordinating a Red Cross first aid team.

John joined the Norwalk VOP team about three years ago and has logged 2,248 hours through June 2012. He works close to 40 hours a week patrolling La Mirada, Norwalk, and the Unincorporated County area.

Also, he currently serves as a Volunteer Training officer for VOP and has trained more than 25 volunteers. He also sits on the Norwalk Station Volunteer Board of Directors and has implemented programs with tools to aid volunteers in scheduling and tracking their time.

John and his wife Debbie live in Whittier, they have one son and tw