Petaluma Police Department
For Immediate Release
February 3, 2022
Issued by: Jennifer Pritchard, Community Engagement Liaison
We are pleased to announce that Officer Garrett Sholin has been selected as our 2021 Police Officer of the Year. Officer Sholin has been a Police Officer with our department since 2017 and in that brief time has already contributed to and served our organization in a variety of assignments such as Gang Enforcement Officer, Firearms Instructor, Training Officer, and Traffic Motorcycle Officer.
Officer Sholin has demonstrated the highest level of organizational excellence over this past year as he took the initiative to solve several complex investigations and issues occurring within our community. Drawing upon both his personal and professional expertise, along with innovative thinking and technology, Officer Sholin utilized local resources and creativity to address crime and criminal activity throughout the city.
Over the year Officer Sholin identified and created a program within the department to leverage available technology products to identify and apprehend catalytic converter thieves that had been responsible for an increasing frequency during the year. Developing a new application of an existing product, which utilized motion activated GPS technology to reduce this crime, Officer Sholin’s ingenuity increased our success in ways not seen before in this area of community crime. His application is now being shared with numerous other law enforcement agencies across the country as they too work to reduce property crimes, such as catalytic converter thefts within their respective jurisdictions. The official vendor of that device has commended Officer Sholin for the expanded use and successful deployment of the product.
Officer Sholin also served as the lead Investigator over one of the most significant vehicle embezzlement and stolen vehicle cases that has existed in the history of the Petaluma Police Department. The case began in 2019 when Officer Sholin took an initial vehicle embezzlement report involving the theft of three high end classic Porsches. Over the next two years, he continued to monitor that investigation and conduct follow-up inquiries with the Sonoma County Auto Theft Task Force (SONCATT).
In late 2021, he received information that the suspect in the case was returning from international travel aboard a cruise ship and had an outstanding warrant related to his initial investigation. Officer Sholin coordinated with the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Customs to arrest the suspect upon his return to the United States. Officer Sholin responded and took custody of the suspect and through extensive interviews developed information regarding the stolen vehicles in his investigation, along with other locations where the suspect was engaging in the suspected criminal activity.
Understanding the magnitude of the criminal activity occurring, he proceeded to coordinate an investigative operation which served multiple search warrants at several locations associated with the suspect. The service of these search warrants ultimately led to the recovery of all three of the initial reported stolen Porsches, at two locations which appeared to be “chop shops,” additional stolen vehicles from other cases, along with stolen motors, VIN plate making materials, license plates and other vehicle parts. This evidence further supported that the locations searched were used for the purposes of promoting the illicit re-sell of stolen vehicles consistent with “chop shops.” This case alone can be touted as remarkable for a patrol officer, and a career defining moment for many police investigators or auto theft detectives.
Officer Sholin’s performance in these two examples highlight the dedication, perseverance and hard work that is consistent with our department values and mission. He continues to demonstrate the highest level of professionalism while working with members of the department, his teammates, and allied agencies in the region. There is no doubt that Officer Sholin is dedicated to effectively and strategically addressing crime in our community.
Traditionally, the VFW Post 1929 Voice of Democracy and Civic Awards program recognizes our annual Officer of the Year selection, however, due to the ongoing pandemic that event has been postponed. We look forward to the opportunity to formally recognize and honor Officer Sholin in the near future.
Please join me in congratulating Officer Garrett Sholin for helping us proactively reduce crime in our city and improve the quality of life for all of our community members who live, and frequent, the city of Petaluma.
