Police Department Honors Two

The UC Merced Police Department named Officer Jason Jacklitsch the 2016 Officer of the Year.

Jacklitsch, who was born and raised in Merced, began his law enforcement career as a reserve police officer with the Atwater Police Department in 2001. He completed the police academy in 2002 and became a deputy sheriff with the Merced County Sheriff’s Office in 2003.

During his time with the sheriff’s office, Jacklitsch served in a number of assignments including patrol, SWAT, dive team, field training officer, courts and investigations. He completed his associate's degree in criminal justice at Merced College in 2009 while working at the sheriff’s office. 

Jacklitsch began with UC Merced in September 2015. He works patrol and was recently assigned as a field training officer. He is a member is the University of California’s systemwide response team, which receives specialized training in order to respond to UC campuses for crowd control and protest activities. 

“We can always count on Officer Jacklitsch to work extra details at UC Merced and provide mutual aid assistance at other UC campuses,” interim Chief of Police Chou Her said. “He frequently puts the needs of the department before his own and is always willing to help others in the department and the community.”

Dispatcher of the Year

Joshua Lutz was chosen as the department’s 2016 Public Safety Dispatcher of the Year. Lutz has served the campus for nearly five years, answering 911 and non-emergency lines and directing officers to emergency calls for service.

He worked full-time as a pest control technician while attending California State University, Stanislaus, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice.

In 2012, he started his career in law enforcement as a dispatcher with the Atwater Police Department. A little more than a year later, the UC Merced Police Department hired him.