KELSEYVILLE — The new California Highway Patrol commander for the Clear Lake Area office returned to Lake County in July. Lt. Mark Loveless brings with him a belief that keeping a community safe requires citizens to be involved.
“My objective is to be more the captain of the ship – I just want to steer it and make sure we are going the right direction. It”s about the people – both in my department and in the community – and it”s about working together toward our common goals, with the common goal being to save lives,” Loveless said.
Loveless cited CHP officer Adam Garcia as an example. Garcia recently received a California Law Enforcement Challenge award for his work promoting the Every 15 Minutes program to raise awareness among teens about the dangers of drunk driving, as well as his work promoting the Mothers Against Drunk Driving and Teen Driving Under the Influence programs.
Another part of meeting those goals involves the CHP strategic plan, according to Loveless. The plan includes five goals that are aligned with the goals of the state Department of Business, Housing and Transportation, and with the governor”s goals for the state.
“The plan comes down to the core issues of saving lives, protecting public assets and providing assistance to outside agencies. It”s about getting back to the basics of being creative with limited resources and having the most significant impact we can,” Loveless said.
Priorities include enforcing speed and seatbelt laws, DUI enforcement and ensuring correct use of child safety seats. Education is also key, Loveless said.
Loveless spent his 18-year CHP career moving from one challenge to the next, spending an average of two and a half years at each post.
“At no point in my career did I set out to be promoted. When I find that I am no longer being challenged where I am, I look for something that challenges me or piques my interest,” Loveless said.
He said his wife and two grown children are still in Shasta County, where he spent two and a half years at the CHP Northern Division office in Redding as a sergeant before moving to Lake County. Loveless said he is watching the real estate market, commuting on the weekends, and hopes to explore Lake County to find places to hike, kayak and hunt.
July marked his second post in Lake County during his CHP career. Loveless said he lived in Lakeport while he was an officer for two and a half years in 1995, following almost five years as an officer in East Los Angeles. Loveless served two summers as a member of Campaign Against Marijuana Planting, one in East Los Angeles and one in Lake County.
Loveless holds a degree in Forestry from Humboldt State University. Additionally, Loveless said he spent three years investigating illegal drug laboratories while he was assigned to the state Department of Justice”s Bureau of Narcotics Enforcement.
Contact Tiffany Revelle at trevelle@record-bee.com or call her direct at 263-5636 ext. 37.
