Millbrae Police Officer Recognized For Service

For the second year in a row, a Millbrae police officer has been recognized at the Peninsula Council of Lions (PCL) Police & Firefighters Awards Dinner for a dedication to service, winning the top Area Wide Police Service Award in San Mateo County.

The PCL event is the only Peninsula-wide public venue in which police and fire officers are celebrated for their service and heroism.

Last year, the winner was Millbrae Police Officer Robert Raw, Millbrae Police Officers’ Association president.

This year, it’s Millbrae Police Officer Steve O’Malley, who accepted the award last Friday night at the 47th annual event sponsored by the PCL at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Foster City.

In addition, firefighter Tim Wetteland was a nominee for his service to the Millbrae Fire Department. Wetteland has been an employee of the Millbrae Fire Department for the last seven years assigned to Engine 37 as a firefighter/paramedic and is recognized for his dedication and hours as the lead instructor for the Citizens Emergency Response Team (CERT) taught in Millbrae.

O'Malley is recognized for his service to the Millbrae Police Department's Explorer Program, a branch of the Boy Scouts of America that operates with the support of the San Mateo County Police Chief's Association to provide an opportunity for young people between the ages of 14 and 21 to interact with the members of the police department and gain experience as they consider a possible career in law enforcement.

The Explorer Program assists with basic police department activities such as clerical work, traffic and parking control, as well as special functions like the . They are also able to ride along with officers on patrol and assist them with some of their duties.

“Since 2006 Steve has been in charge of this program and has devoted countless hours to its success,” said former Millbrae interim police chief Mark Raffaelli, who nominated O’Malley and is currently working as a consultant for the San Mateo County Sheriff’s office.

“He’s accompanied these kids to national conferences and statewide events. He’s held monthly meetings and counsels them. He’s there for them, and they know they can call him anytime, even at home. Steve does most of this work during his time off and pays his own way to help these kids out. Without his selfless dedication to the program, it wouldn't be what it is today.”

Every year for the Police & Firefighters Awards Dinner, police and fire departments nominate one or several officers who they recognize as doing an outstanding job in service, valor and heroism.

A committee that includes the County’s fire and police chiefs reviews all the nominations, said Paul Larson, PCL’s 1st vice president.

“My duty is to coordinate nominations for various police officers and firefighters on the Peninsula sent in to me by their chiefs,” said Larson.  “Out of all those nominees that come in, they read all the narratives that go along with the nomination, and they pick the best of the best. The heads of the police and fire associations then pick the Area Wide winners, and Steve O’Malley was one of them.”

Prior to heading up the Millbrae Police Department's Explorer Program, O’Malley was the School Resource Officer, working closely with Millbrae school officials and local agencies to identify and correct behavioral problems in children before they become a serious problem. As the School Resource Officer, O’Malley also reviewed all cases involving juveniles and determined the best course of action to take to prevent the action from recurring. He worked with Juvenile Probation and other local agencies to provide counseling and guidance to juvenile offenders.

“When we were fully staffed, he was the go to person and our liaison as the School Resource Officer," said Raffaelli, "and when we had to reduce our staffing levels, Steve worked a patrol, but regardless of what shift he worked, he still stayed active with the schools, which shows his dedication to his work.”

O’Malley is one of four officers still assigned to Millbrae since the San Mateo County Sheriff's office took over policing the city of Millbrae on March 4.

With the recent change, O’Malley “may continue his work with the Explorer’s Program but probably through the County Sheriff’s office in Redwood City or with the San Bruno program,” said Raffaelli.

“Explorers are part of the sheriff’s office and are part of the officer's program,” said Raffaelli.  "I hope O’Malley continues this work. He got the top award and rightfully so. He’s dedicated, caring and committed.”