Published on May 18, 2026
While there is no putting into words how much we appreciate the hundreds of YCSO volunteers who serve this county, on May 7th we held our annual Volunteer Awards and Appreciation Dinner in Prescott to say "Thank You" the best we know how.
More than 200 YCSO volunteers and guests showed up as Sheriff David Rhodes, Chief Deputy Jeff Newnum and others handed out awards and spoke glowingly of the incredible job done by the folks in Search and Rescue (SAR), Volunteers in Protection (VIP), and many other parts of the Sheriff's Auxiliary Force (SAF) in 2025. Our volunteers put in thousands of hours each year to serve and protect residents and visitors alike, including hundreds of callouts (day or night, all types of weather and terrain) for potential life-saving incidents.
Lifetime Membership SAF Awards went to Robert Schuman (Verde SAR), Gary Taylor (VIP Patrol), and Josh Schmidt (SWAT Medic/VIP Patrol/YCST-Back Country Unit).
Certificates of Excellence were presented to Tim Anderson (VSAR), John Harris (YCSRT Board and 4x4 Unit), Kimberly Gregory (Detention Services), and Theresa Higdon (VIP Admin).
A big thanks to Volunteer Services Coordinator Rachel Zdrojkowski for spearheading all of the preparations for the big event, and to the many local businesses who showed their support for law enforcement with generous donations including wonderful raffle prizes.
If you are interested in serving in any capacity as a YCSO volunteer, please contact Volunteer Services at (928) 777-7265.