OFFICER DAVID R. GAERIN

BADGE 692

SDPD 10/20/1967 - 12/28/1969

06/06/1940 - 02/04/2000

Longtime East County resident Dave Gaerin died Friday, February 4 at Kaiser Hospital. He was 59.

He attended El Cajon Valley High School participating in football, wrestling and track, played football for Riverside City College and graduated from San Diego City College.

Mr. Gaerin worked for the San Diego Sheriff's Dept., retiring after 23 years of dedicated service. Previously, he was with the San Diego Police Dept. While serving in the Juvenile Services Division of the Sheriff's Dept., he established the first Juvenile Diversion Camp in California, serving as its initial director. He was among the first participants in the rural emergency medical services program. He became an expert on satanic cults in San Diego, giving public information speeches and he was interviewed on the Oprah Winfry Show.

The Santee Exchange Club named him 1985 Officer of the Year. After retiring from the Sheriff's Dept., he started Western Youth Focus Group, establishing treatment programs for troubled youth. He became an expert on adolescent treatment, creating wilderness programs and juvenile camps. His goal was to help others, particularly families in need and in pursuing that goal, touched the lives of many. He provided crisis intervention, youth and family counseling and was a facilitator in a divorce recovery program. He was an active member of the Make a Wish Foundation, which grants wishes to terminally ill children, served on its board and in 1999 was honored with its Tradition of Excellence Award.

In 1992, the Scripps McDonald Center gave him its Spirit of Volunteerism Award. He was an early pioneer in the Boys Clubs of America wrestling program, and very active in youth sports in Lakeside.

Dave actively pursued skiing, golf, sailing and horseback riding. He was an avid jazz fan and a talented photographer.

Three sons, a brother, two nephews, an aunt and several cousins survive him.

THE THIN BLUE LINE

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