This year’s 44th annual Police And Emergency Services Appreciation Night (PAESAN), held on Sept. 25 at Crown Point Shores Rotary Club Pavilion and sponsored by Pacific Beach Town Council, was deemed “The Year of Our Northern Division Police Officers.”

The community barbecue honors a rotating group of first responders including police officers, firefighters, lifeguards, and City park rangers. It is an annual community give-back tradition in Pacific Beach dating back over 40 years. The dinner is capped by an awards ceremony at Crown Point Park honoring all first responders.

The 2024 fundraising event featured honorees from the San Diego Police Department,  SD Fire and Rescue, lifeguards, and park rangers, along with over 300 PB Town Council members, City, County, and State officials, and community members.

“Ask anyone who lives in Pacific Beach and they will tell you that they love the first responders who keep them safe,” said PBTC representatives about PAESAN. “The hardworking police officers, firefighters, lifeguards, and park rangers are a big part of what makes PB a great place to live and to visit. The PB Town Council raises money to support the first responders who serve their community, capping off their fundraising with PAESAN.”

Each year during the event, individual police officers, lifeguards, firefighters, and park rangers are recognized, and certificates are awarded. “This year we featured our Northern Division officers who serve the coastal communities of Pacific Beach, La Jolla, and Mission Beach, as well as Clairemont,” said PBTC representatives. “As a result of the immense community support for our officers, we were able to successfully fundraise over $66,000 to completely renovate the Beach & Bay Service Area Community Storefront, equip our officers with 80 trauma kits, and upgrade our officer’s briefing room chairs.”

Pacific Beach Town Council is the oldest town council in San Diego. Working year-round, PBTC funds community projects and initiatives that include Concerts on the Green, PB Car Show, the annual Graffiti Cleanup, as well as community enhancement activities and neighborhood cleanups. The PBTC advocates with elected officials for public safety and community improvements.

PAESAN SPECIAL AWARD RECIPIENTS

– Officer Jessicamarie Thrift (above), community resource officer – “In alignment with the goals of PAESAN, namely ‘the betterment of Pacific Beach’ as well as all the communities encompassing the coastal areas of Northern Division, Thrift was selected as the 2024 PAESAN honoree for the SDPD. Working as a community resource officer is a unique assignment within the department requiring strong interpersonal skills, administrative acumen, and the ability to maintain, develop, and establish relationships with community stakeholders to be successful.

“Simply put, no one is like Jessica,” noted PBTC. “Over the past two years, she has demonstrated a mastery of each of these skills and attributes. Her dutiful and effective approach to interactions with the community, collaborative efforts with government officials, and her ability to organize and maximize department resources and personnel to plan for the largest annual events of the department have routinely exceeded expectations. The community feels heard, well-served, and safer because of her overall efforts. Truly she is a ‘paisano’ (friend) to PB and the city as a whole.”

– Bob “Sgamby” Sgambelluri, retired senior volunteer officer – “Retired senior volunteer patrol member Sgambelluri was selected as the 2024 PAESAN Volunteer for the San Diego Police Department. Sgambelluri has selflessly volunteered for over 11 years as an integral member of RSVP, where he conducts high-visibility patrols, aids the division in transporting cases to prosecuting agencies, and visits seniors via the ‘You Are Not Alone’ program. He is also a tireless advocate for promoting and recruiting new members to RSVP. When interacting with the public or other members of the RSVP team, Sgambelluri always displays a smile and exudes a persistent desire to help in any way he can,” said PBTC. “Sgambelluri’s work compliments and enhances our overall efforts through his compassionate and capable service to the police department and the community.”

– Matt Miller, fire engineer – “Miller has served San Diego as a firefighter for nine years with the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department and reports to duty out of Fire Station 25. It is a dynamic district where Miller responds to emergency calls with his crew in and around Mission Bay and Fiesta Island, Mount Soledad, the Mission Valley Preserve, Bay Park, the Interstate 5 and 8 corridors, along with a significant number of incidents in the heart of PB.

“As a trained apparatus operator, Miller drives the fire engine efficiently and ensures the safety of everyone around while executing the duties of both an engineer and licensed paramedic. Miller’s intuition and ability to navigate tough calls ‘on the streets’ is beyond commendable. He maintains consistent composure and is relied upon to ensure hazards and threats are mitigated skillfully and effectively. Miller is welcoming and responsive and is always willing to provide extra time and shared experiences to help develop newer firefighters. He is a self-starter whose performance is marked by initiative and cohesion. Miller is an asset to the Fire Department, the City of San Diego, and the diverse citizens he serves.”

– Ian Chase, park ranger – “Chase started as a park ranger in Mission Bay Park in June of 2023 after many years experience working in parks in his native Rhode Island and has since excelled in transitioning into a park ranger for the City. He exemplifies the best of what a park ranger should be: proactive, hardworking, and reliable. Chase maintains a high level of professionalism and customer service with the public and his team. In addition, Chase has also become a Mission Bay Park history expert, having conducted extensive research and designed a Mission Bay history program.”

– Stephen Ure, lifeguard II – “Ure has been a full-time lifeguard II with the City’s Fire-Rescue Department since 2020, spending two years in PB. He is an accomplished lifeguard, trainer, and mentor to all and a great community resource,” said PBTC noting, “He is PB stations’ only field training officer. One of Ure’s many responsibilities is to certify lifeguards in driving beach vehicles and rescue watercraft. One of Ure’s specialties is in underwater search and rescue. He is a member of the Dive Rescue Team ready to deploy at a moment’s notice. The Lifeguard Division is lucky to have Ure. Thank you for all that you do.”