LAKEPORT >> Officer Joseph Eastham, 35, of the Lakeport Police Department (LPD) received the Lakeport Police Officer of the Year award on Monday at the Lakeport Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2015.
Eastham has been an officer with the LPD since April of 2011. Over the past few years he has received advanced training in drug influence recognition, national highway safety standardized field sobriety testing, gang awareness, search warrant writing and officer safety, according to LPD Chief Brad Rasmussen.
In addition to being a patrol officer, Eastham has collateral duty assignments, including neighborhood watch coordinator, agency firearms instructor and Taser device instructor. He has also completed 80 hours of advanced training in forensic sketching and has provided critical investigative support with several forensic sketches of suspects in serious cases, Rasmussen said.
Through the years, Eastham has received numerous thank yous for outstanding police work and eight department commendations for his firearm skills, professionalism and skilled police work.
“He”s gone above and beyond for consistently making good quality arrests and conducting quality investigations that have assisted in removal of numerous dangerous felons from our streets,” Rasmussen said. “He was also selected for this award due to his integrity, professionalism, tenacity and good team work.”
In addition to his efforts to keep Lakeport safe, Eastham takes time out to communicate with local youths. Most recently, Eastham completed a sketch for Lakeport kindergarten and first-grade students to color in during the city of Lakeport”s Halloween drug-free coloring contest.
