City of Aliso Viejo
12 Journey
Aliso Viejo, CA 92656
949-425-2500
Aliso Viejo Crime Prevention Specialist honored Monday
Aliso Viejo Police Services Crime Prevention Specialist Margo Beauchamp was honored on Monday with an American Legion Law and Order Award.
Beauchamp received a medal of merit award during an awards presentation by the American Legion Post 862. She was honored among others from the Orange County Sheriff’s Department for their service in the department’s contract cities.
Beauchamp has worked as crime prevention specialist for the department for eight years. Along with coordinating the Neighborhood Watch program in Aliso Viejo, she also works with the city’s Planning and Engineering departments to help design safe environments in new construction as part of the Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) program.
Beauchamp works closely with Aliso Viejo schools conducting bicycle safety rodeos for students and educating the public on a variety of safety issues. She is a champion of child seat and helmet safety and conducts child safety seat inspections several times a week.
Working tirelessly, she spearheaded a public education presentation called “A Helmet is Cooler than a Coma!” in an effort to encourage children to wear helmets while riding bikes and skateboards. To drive the message home, Beauchamp worked with the Sheriff’s Video Production Unit to create a video capturing the life-changing injuries of two teenagers who survived skateboard accidents while riding without helmets.
The three-part video series, which was originally distributed via YouTube, has received much recognition and has been viewed across the country and Canada. The presentation was approved by the Orange County Board of Education for distribution at all Orange County middle and high schools in December of 2009. The DVD is currently being reviewed by the State of California Department of Education for statewide distribution.
“This presentation far exceeds the job description for Margo,” said Lt. Bob Osborne, chief of police services. “This is an excellent example of the development of innovative programs and out-of-the-box thinking that help the Sheriff’s Department meet the needs of the residents of Orange County.”
Kelly Tokarski
KT Community Relations
