Livermore Police Sergeant Honored by Supervisor Haggerty

Photos: Livermore Police Chief Michael Harris accepts the award from Sup. Haggerty on behalf of Sgt. Briggs; ACFD Engineer Jim Derickson receives his award from Sup. Haggerty. Photos courtesy Sup. Haggerty’s office.

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A Livermore Police Department Sergeant and a member of the Alameda County Fire Department have been named 2015 Law Enforcement Officer of the Year and the 2015 Fire Fighter of the Year at Alameda County Supervisor Scott Haggerty’s 19th annual barbecue held at the Fairgrounds in Pleasanton on July 31.

“I am pleased to honor public safety personnel with this award,” said Haggerty. “The sacrifices and contributions of our firefighters and law enforcement officers are not taken for granted and this is a small but special gesture to highlight these heroes.”

Receiving the 2015 Law Enforcement Officer of the Year, Sergeant Elaine Briggs of the Livermore Police Department. Sergeant Briggs has served 15 years in the LPD, rising through the ranks of patrol officer, Field Training Officer, and Detective before her promotion as sergeant. While serving in the Criminal Investigations Bureau, Sergeant Briggs became one of the most tenured detectives in the history of the Livermore Police Department. Sergeant Briggs earned an outstanding reputation solving an array of cases ranging from robberies to financial crimes. The most recent case involved an employee of a local bank forging the signature of an elderly customer, draining his bank account of his life savings. Even after his death, the man’s daughter encountered continued resistance from the bank in investigating the suspected crime, until Sergeant Briggs was assigned the case. Her involvement resulted in the arrest of the perpetrator and after months of court appearances, the defendant accepted a guilty plea to three felony counts including grand theft and elder abuse. “Sergeant Briggs demonstrated not only professionalism and dedication to solving this case but also empathy towards the victim and his family,” said Haggerty. “With a growing
population of aging adults many of which are vulnerable to such crimes, the public is well served by officers such as Sergeant Briggs.”

Engineer Jim Derickson of the Alameda County Fire Department is recognized with the 2015 Firefighter of the Year award. Derickson has been with ACFD since February 1993. Originally hired by the Eden Consolidated Fire Protection District, five months later the Alameda County Board of Supervisors established the district as the Alameda County Fire Department. In March 1999 Jim was promoted to Fire Engineer responsible for ensuring fire equipment is well-maintained, functioning and readily available for firefighting activities. Jim’s mechanical aptitude earned him the respect of fellow firefighters and a well-deserved reputation throughout the organization for the care and reliability of its life-saving equipment. In addition to his routine duties, Derickson has taken on the challenge of restoring the ACFD’s 1915 Seagrave Fire Engine and 1935 Ford Fire Engine, beautiful relics of the ACFD firefighting heritage. Jim Derickson, himself is of proud firefighter heritage with his father having served in the City of Berkeley Fire Department, his brother also an ACFD firefighter serving the City of Newark and the newest member joining the ACFD firefighter family this year, his son Brian. “We are fortunate to find among firefighter ranks, generations of
families who strengthen the image of the firefighting profession as one of sacrifice, contribution and purpose,” said Haggerty. “Engineer Derickson epitomizes the legacy of this heritage.”

Scott Haggerty represents the First District communities of Fremont, Livermore, Dublin and the eastern unincorporated areas on the five-member Alameda County Board of Supervisors.