Date: October 20, 2016
OCDA PUBLIC ASSISTANCE DIVISION INVESTIGATOR RECOGNIZED BY CWFIA AS “INVESTIGATOR OF THE YEAR”
SANTA ANA, Calif. – Orange County District Attorney’s Office (OCDA) Public Assistance Division (PAD) Investigator Dan Pratt was recognized by the California Welfare Fraud Investigator’s Association (CWFIA) for continued outstanding service in the Public Assistance Arena at the 46th annual CWFIA Training Conference in Northern California. Investigator Pratt received the 2016 Professional Achievement Award (Investigator of the Year). Investigator Pratt is currently working in the Orange County Housing Authority Special Investigations Unit (OCHASIU).
Investigator Pratt worked for 14 years with the La Habra Police Department (LHPD), contributing as a member of the North County Regional SWAT team for five years, and receiving recognition as LHPD’s Officer of the Year in 2001. In his nine years with the OCDA, Investigator Pratt has shown commitment to the job, going beyond what is typical or called for. He has worked every assignment within the PAD and conducts field investigations in every area of public assistance in support of program integrity. Investigator Pratt is a member of the OCDA Range Staff Cadre, OCDA Rifle Cadre and has attended the Glock Armorer School and FBI Rifle School in Irvine, California in order to maintain his qualification in the use of firearms. He also completed the Peace Officers Standards and Training Certified Weaponless Defense Arrest and Control Instructors School at Hancock College in Santa Maria, California to remain trained and current in Arrest and Control Tactics. He is committed to the OCHASIU and its goals and service to those in need earning him recognition by his peers and supervisors when they selected him as the OCDA Public Assistance Investigator of the Year in 2015.
In giving the award, CWFIA stated that Investigator Pratt’s “mission is to protect the needy from the greedy.” He has been commended for his “compassion, initiative, and willingness to go above and beyond the normal demands of duty,” by his supervisors, and is hailed as demonstrating “a commitment to service in the highest traditions of a California Welfare Fraud Investigator.”
“We are proud of our OCDA members who continue to receive statewide recognition for their excellent work,” stated OCDA Tony Rackauckas. “It is our honor to continue serving our community and setting law enforcement standards in the state.”