George Ridley

George Ridley is a member of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department (OCSD) Professional Services Responder (PSR) program and is one of the unit’s most active participants. Since his appointment to the position of PSR on November 19, 2002, he has volunteered more than 1,050 service hours. The goal of the PSR program is to recruit and train highly successful professional men and women to provide on a voluntary basis their leadership and professional skills as they relate to the OCSD’s mission statement. The PSR program supplements traditional Reserve programs with non-sworn volunteers. PSRs provide administrative and leadership support in the areas of: emerging technologies, communications, industrial relations, graphic arts, healthcare, dignitary protection, firearm safety instruction, legal and accounting services, international protocol, governmental relations and emergency response resources.

George’s primary role as a PSR is that of department photographer, regularly filling-in for the OCSD’s full-time photographer whenever needed. In this capacity, he provides professional expertise during special programs such as the Medal of Valor Awards Banquet, the Peace Officer’s Memorial Ceremonies and academy graduations. One of George’s recent volunteer endeavors involved flying photo missions for the Terrorism Early Warning Group (TEWG). The purpose of this project was to photograph every potential high-profile terrorist target in Orange County. Overall, he flew a total of 28 flights, logging 49 flight hours and dedicating 148 hours to the project. While this was a team effort with many individuals contributing to its success, George was an integral part of the team, and as the only volunteer actively involved in the project, he demonstrated the exceptional value of PSRs in enhancing operations within the Sheriff’s Department.