A San Diego County Probation officer’s work to keep people safe doesn’t always end in their off-duty hours. Sometimes the role spills over into their personal lives in unlikely situations and they take action to protect others as Senior Probation Officer Jeffrey Webdell did over the summer.
The San Diego County Crime Commission recently presented Webdell, 37, with its Blue Knight Award for bravery. The nonprofit agency gives the awards every year to a member of each of the local, state and federal law enforcement agencies in the county. Webdell is assigned to the Youthful Offender Unit in the Probation Special Operations Division and has been with the department for nine years.
In his free time, Webdell helps coordinate security volunteers for services at his church. He was with his family at a service on Aug. 30, when one of the volunteers quietly let him know that a man sitting in the front row was being somewhat disruptive.
So as to not create further issues, Webdell just kept his eye on the man during the service. Afterward, the man remained in his seat as most others in the congregation got up and began gathering outside the hall. Some 15 or so parishioners were milling around talking to each other inside as Webdell and a security volunteer went to talk to him. Based on specific tattoos the man had, Webdell was pretty sure the man was a gang member but he didn’t recognize him as someone he’d dealt with through his Probation work.
“I talked to him and he seemed pretty erratic and unstable,” said Webdell, though he wasn’t necessarily being threatening in that moment. But the man became irate as the security volunteer continued talking to him.
The man left for a minute and returned to the security volunteer, said something intimidating and indicated he had a loaded gun in his waistband.
When he overheard that, Webdell said he just immediately grabbed the man, found a loaded .45 caliber gun in his waistband, disarmed him, then held him for police.
The man faced charges including having a concealed loaded weapon without a permit and bringing a firearm onto a school campus, which is where the church meets.
“That could have been pretty bad,” Webdell said of the incident.
His actions heading off a potentially violent incident led to the Crime Commission recognition.
“Senior Probation Officer Webdell is commended for his alertness, bravery and quick action in disarming a violent gang member,” said Probation Deputy Chief Lorraine Fernandez.
