A 'Hero' born to raise money

Douglas County Sheriff's Deputy Jay Martin
"Hero"

DOUGLAS COUNTY - The Parker Chamber of Commerce presented Douglas County Sheriff’s Deputy Jay Martin with its ‘Hero Award’ for personally raising tens of thousands of dollars for others less fortunate. Ask Jay about it and he’ll tell you he was born to raise money.

“I’ve been doing it since I was a little kid. When I was five-years-old, I would go door to door holding a tin can, asking people for money,” Deputy Martin said. 

He was collecting donations for his younger brother and older sister who suffer from Muscular Dystrophy, a disorder that strips away muscle strength and grows worse with time.

Jay’s brother, 42, has been in a wheelchair since he was six. The disease took his sister’s mobility when she was 40. She’s 49 today. His siblings live in Idaho.

Deputy Jay Martin thanking the Chamber for his award

Jay has raised much more than $24,000 for the MDA over the years for research and treatment of the neuromuscular disease which affects one million Americans.
“I’ve been told ‘no’ a million times and many times ‘yes.’  It doesn’t bother me to ask for money. You won’t know if you don’t ask,” Jay says.

Jay’s heard ‘yes’ a lot lately.  Among other things, he spearheaded a benefit for the wife and young children of a fallen South Metro firefighter killed in an avalanche.  Without any recognition, he was able to obtain several donations for the family to help ease their pain during their difficult time.

"Deputy Martin’s a fundraising fiend. If you have a project and you need fundraising, Jay’s your guy,” Sgt. Ron Hanavan said. “He doesn’t have to do that. But he does out of the goodness of his heart.”

Jay’s also volunteered to help raise more than $1,800 for the Women’s Crisis Center.

“Simply put, Jay consistently sets the example of ‘commitment to the community’ and character. He never says ‘no’ and always steps up to help, regardless of how inconvenient the need may be,” Tim Moore, Bureau Chief of Operations, said. “He’s a fantastic representative of the public safety profession.”

Thanks to Jay, a disabled U.S. Army veteran is moving into a new home this fall. Martin helped build it for Cpl. Nick Orchowski.

“To say that Jay ‘volunteered’ his time is an understatement. In reality, Jay led the way to locate and get a general contractor to donate time and materials; it was Jay that lead the way to organize the Build Brigade of volunteers that helped during several stages of the build; and it was Jay that lead the way in getting several local elementary schools involved by helping them conduct fundraisers at their schools for the project,” Moore said.

Douglas County Sheriff David Weaver said he is proud of all of Deputy Jay Martin’s accomplishments.

“He truly is a hero who always goes above and beyond for his community or a fellow citizen in need and he inspires us all to give of ourselves,” the Sheriff said.

The deputy, who’s been on the force a decade, currently works in patrol with the Youth Education and Safety in Schools program. He created a public service announcement video that was played to all high school students before their proms that warned them about underage drinking.

Deputy Martin is a proud father and husband who has spent the majority of his career helping teach kids in Douglas County the value of public safety and how to handle the pitfalls of peer pressure and substance abuse.  Jay enjoys fitness, along with sporting and family events with his wife and kids. 

At the Parker Chamber of Commerce August 2012

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Parties, police and crime prevention

 Deputy Castellano (Swat) outfits Colin

National Night Out in Douglas County

Hundreds of people got out of their homes to meet their neighbors, talk to sheriff’s deputies and send a message to bad guys that they’re fighting back against drugs and crime. More than 30 parties were held across unincorporated Douglas County Tuesday night in the 29^th National Night Out.

Kids try Swat gear at Glenstone Trail

"This is our favorite night of the year," Suzanne Wolf said, wearing a huge smile.




Wolf helped throw a party on Coyote Street in Highlands Ranch for dozens of her neighbors and their children with food, activities and a visit by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Bomb Squad.

Thousands of people from Fort Collins to Durango participated in National Night Out Tuesday in Colorado.  Last year, more than 37 million people across the country took part in America’s anti-crime campaign.



4-year-old Alyce Tobin

Patrol deputies, explorers, detention officers, dispatchers, McGruff the crime-fighting dog and even Sheriff David Weaver himself told people how they can cut down on auto theft and break-ins. They also handed out bags full of donations from Target.

“Our children loved seeing all of the police vehicles and the K-9 units,” Kristin Bergstrom on Glenstone Trail said. “This was the first time our daughter Addison sat on a motorcycle. She was still talking about it when she woke up.” 


Deputy Riffel shows off transport vehicle

The Bergstroms, who just moved here from Florida, said it was a great opportunity to meet people and learn about the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office. It was also the first night out for the Tobin family on Parkside Drive. Deputies talked to them about keeping an eye out for strangers in their neighborhood.



Motorcycle Deputies Nicholson, McDowell, Compton

“The more people who are vigilant, the better,” Eileen Tobin said, who signed up for the neighborhood watch Tuesday night.

 

The neighbors on Crosspointe Drive are old pros at the event. Roberta Passer usually throws the party at her house and her husband grills. But Tuesday night, he was away on a fishing trip, so she ordered pizza.

 

“We like talking to the Sheriff’s deputies because we find out what problems exist in the area and they remind us about what to do, like keeping our garage doors closed,” Passer said. “It’s a great way for us to stay connected.”

Having fun on Coyote Street

Neighbor Rick Peterson tries to never miss the night out.

 “All of my friends and neighbors are here getting caught up and we get to say hi to the people who keep us safe and happy.”

Peterson got to meet two 9-1-1 dispatchers who take emergency calls for his neighborhood. Before this, they were faceless, nameless voices on the phone.

“I love being out here talking to the citizens and talking to the kids and showing them what 9-1-1 is for,” Keara Martin, whose been dispatching for 8.5 years, said. “They can see that we’re real human beings. It puts it all into perspective.”


Animal Control Cahill and Schrock

Dispatcher Sierra Bishop, who just started her job in Douglas County this year, was glad to get out and meet the people she talks with every day. 

“We normally hear bad things in emergencies, so it’s good to talk to people now without all of that happening,” Bishop said.

Neighbors really got to see a different side of people who work for the Sheriff.

“We got to meet some people officers and that showed that they’re part of the community, they’re not adversarial. They’re here to help,” Marilyn Flood of Ravenswood Lane said. “I love this.”


Sheriff David Weaver poses with neighbors on Crosspointe Dr.

Kids explore the jail transport vehicle

Sheriff Weaver thanks all of the participants, volunteers and businesses that donated to the 2012 National Night Out.

Good Guy Garcia

Douglas County Sheriff Deputy Michael Garcia
"We're good guys."

Retiree Jack Zelkin saw the cop pull into his neighborhood, lights flashing and grabbed his camera. The amateur photographer wanted to see what the commotion was about. The Douglas County Sheriff’s Deputy wasn’t writing tickets. He was out of his patrol car entertaining kids.

More than a dozen children climbed in and out of Deputy Mike Garcia's cruiser, plastered stickers shaped like badges on their chests and peppered him with questions. Zelkin started snapping pictures.

Garcia and photographer Jack Zelkin
"This guy is a teddy bear."

“I instantly recognized this was a great moment. The deputy was teaching kids what police are all about, teaching them that they’re the good guys and there to help, not hurt,” Zelkin said. “A lot of kids grow up thinking cops are bad guys. Well, this guy is a teddy bear.”

Deputy Garcia passed out 20 stickers while talking to the kids for nearly an hour Thursday night off Monarch Boulevard and Briar Cliff Driver in a Castle Pines North neighborhood.


Garcia interacting with kids
"It's my favorite part of the job."

"They wanted to play with the lights, see the inside of the patrol car and were asking about all of the stuff I carry,” Garcia said. “It was like standing in front of a panel of judges. They surrounded me with questions, non-stop, and I was just trying to keep up and answer them all.”

Nobody tells Garcia to interact with kids, it’s just something he does while on patrol. Some of the kids recognized him from last summer when he passed out 80 stickers at their elementary school. He hopes it influences some of them to become cops.

“They say, ‘I want to be a police officer when I grow up.’  I say, “You should, it’s fun. It’s a great career.’” He’s been on the force seven years.

Kids always ask the deputy, “What’s the scariest thing you’ve ever done?”  It’s an easy answer.

He was in a gunfight and shot exactly two years ago today. A drunk with a gun threatening to shoot up a restaurant in Franktown aimed his weapon at the deputy, blasting a dozen holes in his cruiser and hitting him once in the arm. Garcia fired back and took him down. The man’s in prison for the rest of his life and the deputy’s left with a lifelong injury that almost ended his career.

Garcia figures kids need to know about every part of the job.

“It’s about educating the kids. Teaching them that we’re people.  We’re real, regular people and we have a job to do,” Garcia said. “I always tell them, ‘If you need us, do not be afraid to call us. We’re good guys and we’ll talk to you.’”

He’s the kind of cop Douglas County Sheriff David Weaver is proud to have on his force. 

“Garcia’s a shining example on our patrol force and what many of the dedicated men and women in Douglas County do for their communities every day,” Sheriff Weaver said.  “That’s what we’re all about.”

Jack and June Zelkin
"We want to recognize Garcia."

After answering the children's questions, Garcia posed for pictures with photographer Jack Zelkin.  Jack hopes the smiles on the kids faces will show the deputy he’s making a difference. 

As Garcia drove away, Zelkin said, “Thank you.”


Deputy Garcia taking endless questions from kids.
"You should be deputies when you grow up."

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