Three of Roseville’s finest were recently recognized for being a little better.

Roseville Police Officers Dave Flood and Rick Fox and volunteer Maury Luckett were among the 30 Placer County law enforcement officials recognized earlier this month at an awards banquet for the Placer Law Enforcement Agencies.

The officers were recognized for outstanding service to their community, being a valuable resource to the police department and acting fast in a matter of life and death.

Maury Luckett

Age: 73

Volunteering since: 2002, Citizens on Patrol since 2006

Hobbies: golf, bowling, volunteer police work

Recipient of the PLEA 2009 Distinguished Volunteer Service Citation

Police Volunteer Maury Luckett has gone from keeping an eye on forgetful Sun City residents who leave their garage doors open at night to watching for Roseville drivers that illegally park in handicapped spots.

“I have the free time on my hands and I love the city,” Luckett said. “It’s been good to me, why not give back to it?”

After five years of volunteering for Sun City’s citizen patrol, Luckett contacted the Roseville Police Department for more volunteer work. The rest, he said, is history.

Luckett was recently awarded the PLEA Distinguished Volunteer Service citation for his years of service transporting reports and court documents to the District Attorney’s office, managing the city’s speed trailers and manning DUI checkpoints.

“We’ll catch about five DUIs with the checkpoints, but then we’ll catch another 10 to 12 driving on suspended licenses,” Luckett said. “It feels good to know that you stopped a crime or an accident.”

In May, Luckett began patrolling commercial parking lots. In six months, Luckett said he has cited more than 300 cars illegally parked in handicapped spots. His typical route includes movie theatres, shopping centers and hospitals.

“At first I felt bad about issuing citations, but then I realized that I’m just making people observe the law,” Luckett said. “They shouldn’t park somewhere and block a spot for someone who really needs it.”

Roseville Police Department Volunteer Coordinator Shelly Bracco said Luckett is a crucial member of the volunteer force and has worked nearly 3,000 hours since 2002.

“He truly cares and takes ownership of all duties assigned to him and he always does it with a smile,” Bracco said.

Dave Flood

Age: 45

With Roseville PD since December 2000

Previously worked as a Deputy Sheriff in San Mateo County for 14 years

Recipient of the PLEA 2009 Mark White Community Policing Award

Ever wonder why it’s rare to see shopping carts outside the vicinity of a grocery store or signs asking for money and food in Roseville?

Just thank Officer Dave Flood.

After joining the Roseville Police force Flood noticed that transients frequently ignored laws but were policed very little. Wanting to keep the community feeling safe and secure, Flood took it upon himself to nip the problem in the bud.

Flood saw homeless people holding signs asking for money at busy intersections, pushing shopping carts around town and camping out in city parks.

Since then, Flood has made a point to get to know all of Roseville’s transients, which have turned out to be helpful resources when investigating certain crimes.

“I know their first names, what their nicknames are or what they go by, where they hang out and who they hang out with,” Flood said. “They know that I’ve got an eye on them so they follow the rules and I know where to go if something happens.”

When a homeless man recently stabbed another homeless man. Flood knew the name of the suspect, where to find him and details about the incident within an hour.

“I also get in touch with family members if I know that someone’s not doing well,” Flood said. “Or sometimes family members will call me and ask where they can find their family and I can help.”

Rick Fox

Age: 36

With Roseville PD since: 2004

Previously worked for CHP for three years

Hobbies: repairing classic cars

Recipient of the Lifesaving Award

Officer Rick Fox was out on a routine patrol earlier this year when he spotted what appeared to be an unreported collision.

“There were two families screaming and crying but I didn’t understand what they were saying because they didn’t speak English,” Fox said.

The family directed him to the backseat of one of the cars where he found a mother clutching a baby that had stopped breathing and was unconscious.

Fox checked the baby’s airway and found that it was filled with mucous. Thinking quickly, Fox began clearing the infant’s airway and administered assisted breathing.

“Honestly I kept repeating the procedure not really knowing what was going on or if it was doing any good,” Fox said.

Eventually the baby began breathing again, but remained unconscious and Fox continued the lifesaving procedure until firefighters and medical response arrived on the scene.

“It didn’t hit me, what I’d done until afterwards,” Fox said, who has two young children. “It was part thinking on my feet and adrenaline and part what I’m expected to do, you just don’t think about it.”

This is not the first lifesaving award for Fox, who administered CPR on an elderly gentleman who was suffering from a heart attack in 2004.