Your agency may win the coveted “Best of COPSWEST 2008” award, to be presented at COPSWEST 2008 on Tuesday, October 7, at the Ontario Convention Center. All entries must be received by July 6, 2008 to be eligible to participate.

Click here to download the Best of COPSWEST entry forms (PDF)

Mail your entry form, along with any photos depicting its Best of COPSWEST.

Mail your entries to:

Best of COPSWEST
1455 Response Road, Suite 190
Sacramento, CA 95815

CONGRATULATIONS to the winners of the Seventh Annual Best of COPSWEST Competition.   

There were six contest categories with excellent entries from agencies throughout the Western States.  Making the tough decision from all of the outstanding entries were a panel of four from the great state of Arizona Department of Public Safety,  Highway Patrol Division, who judged the entries.  They were Chief Jack Lane , Commander Michael Orose, Lieutenant Jeff King and Sergeant Wayde Webb. Gentlemen, raise your hands.

Thank you, Arizona, for your support of COPSWEST.

BEST BADGE DESIGN

Badge Design, and it was awarded to the Cypress Police Department. This badge was designed to reflect the 50th Anniversary of the formation of the Cypress Police Department. The badge was designed incorporating the original badge in its center. The "36" found at the bottom of the original badge denotes Cypress’ Orange County call sign – station 36. The overall shape of the badge is a departure from contemporary, West Coast police badges to fulfill the design committee’s goal of producing as unique a badge as possible. Both the American and California flags were included in the homage to our great nation and love for our state.

BEST MOTORCYCLE DESIGN

Best Motorcycle Design? This motorcycle is one of 19 newly purchased BMW R1200RT-P motorcycles for the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department for its new High Impact Motor Unit. The new unit focuses on street gangs, drug and weapons problem areas throughout the county. Unique equipment was added to these motorcycles with mission-specific intent and include "alley lights", a radio cut-off switch, computers with ‘Air cards’ and a shotgun mount in a vertical position.

BEST CRUISER VEHICLE DESIGN

BEFORE		AFTER

Brentwood Police Department has won the Best of COPSWEST Award for the Best Cruiser Vehicle.  Brentwood Police Department recently switched to the traditional black and white color scheme for the increased visibility.  The new design has received nothing but positive feedback from members of the department and the community.  The new look is simple, yet bold professional designs which incorporates the departments shield.  The vehicle also has new vector shaped light-bar and push bumper.  

BEST SPECIALTY VEHICLE DESIGN

Specialty Vehicle Design category, the winner was the California Highway Patrol’s new more versatile and mobile Incident Command Vehicles. The nine Chevrolet Tahoes are equipped and integrated with satellite, airborne video downlink, and interoperable communications equipment, thus allowing the vehicle to perform as a mobile command and control system display. The vehicles have been deployed to the eight CHP field divisions statewide and to the CHP headquarter to provide improved communications, situational awareness, in addition to command and control capabilities when responding to and managing emergency incidents in the state. 

BEST CSI BREAKTHOUGH

The Best CSI Breakthrough. The winning agency in this category is the Long Beach Police Department Crime Laboratory Section for the ground breaking research project undertaken by examining the value of biological stains and latent prints that have been submerged in saltwater. The particular focus was to evaluate the recovery of nuclear and mitochondrial DNA from blood and semen stains, as well as latent prints submerged for up to 60 days. This project proves that latent print and DNA evidence that has been collected from a salt-water environment is recoverable, identifiable, and should not be underestimated or undervalued.

BEST COLD-CASE SOLVED

Best Cold-Case Solved. This award goes to the Fresno Police Department. This case dates back to August 15, 1985, when officers recovered a deceased, nude female body floating in a canal. The victim was identified as a 14 year-old female who had been brutally beaten, sexually assaulted, and murdered. This case went unsolved for 21 years until Detective Craig Attkisson, a DNA cold case homicide investigator re-opened the case in 2005. Detective Attkisson worked, tirelessly, logging in more than 500 hours to solve this case. His investigation included: locating and processing evidence, locating and re-interviewing over 50 local and out-of-state witnesses, and contacting and interviewing retired police detectives.

Thank you to all of the agencies that nominated someone from their department for one of these awards.  The pride shown by the many departments that submitted the record-number of entries is tremendous.  The tradition and prestige of these awards continues to grow year after year. What better way to recognize the achievements of members of your agency than through the Best COPSWEST Awards!