Aliso Viejo Police Services Crime Prevention Specialist Margo Beauchamp was honored on Monday with an American Legion Law and Order Award.

Margo received a medal of merit award during an awards presentation by the American Legion Post 862. She was honored among others from the Orange County Sheriff's Department for their service in the department's contract cities.

Margo has worked as crime prevention specialist for the department for eight years. Along with coordinating the Neighborhood Watch program in Aliso Viejo, she also works with the City's Planning and Engineering departments to help design safe environments in new construction as part of the Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) program.

She works closely with Aliso Viejo schools conducting bicycle safety rodeos for students and educating the public on a variety of safety issues. Margo is a champion of child seat and helmet safety and conducts child safety seat inspections several times a week.

Working tirelessly, she spearheaded a public education presentation called "A Helmet is Cooler than a Coma!" in an effort to encourage children to wear helmets while riding bikes and skateboards. To drive the message home, Margo worked with the Sheriff's Video Production Unit to create a video capturing the life-changing injuries of two teenagers who survived skateboard accidents while riding without helmets.
 
The three-part video series, which was originally distributed via YouTube, has received much recognition and has been viewed across the country and Canada.  In December, the presentation was approved by the Orange County Board of Education for distribution at all Orange County middle and high schools. The DVD is currently under review by the State of California Department of Education for statewide distribution.

"This presentation far exceeds the job description for Margo," said Lt. Bob Osborne, chief of police services. "This is an excellent example of the development of innovative programs and out-of-the-box thinking that help the Sheriff's Department meet the needs of the residents of Orange County."

The City of Aliso Viejo, which incorporated July 1, 2001, encompasses approximately 7 square miles with nearly 48,000 residents.  The City's annual budget is roughly $30 million.  The City supports a thriving business community with companies such as Pacific Life Insurance Co.; United Parcel Service (UPS); Clarient; Valeant Pharmaceuticals; Q-Logic; Lennar Homes; Buy.Com; Fluor Daniel; Pepsi Bottling, Inc.; Shea Homes; the Renaissance ClubSport Hotel; and Bausch and Lomb. Aliso Viejo has 23 parks, vast open space and top-notch amenities including the Aliso Viejo Ranch and the City's new Conference Center and Aquatic Center. The City of Aliso Viejo welcomes you to "Experience It All."  For more information, visit www.cityofalisoviejo.com.