Lathrop Police Chief Ryan Biedermann wanted to make sure that the people that were assigned to the division of the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office that provides law enforcement services for the City of Lathrop felt pride in the work that they did.

Not long after arriving to head the division that he worked his way up through Biedermann began to take those steps – by adopting a new paint scheme for the department’s vehicles that set them apart from the rest of the sheriff’s office fleet.

And starting next month, those that patrol the streets of Lathrop will be wearing specially designed patches on their uniforms and badges on their chest that drive home the point that those that are assigned to that division are there to protect and serve Lathrop and its residents.

“After spending most of my career down there and now being in charge of it, it gives that little bit more ownership and specializes the division a little bit,” Biedermann said. “It gives a little more Lathrop pride for the folks who work down there.”

In addition to wearing the patch of the sheriff’s office on one arm of their uniform, Lathrop Police deputies will soon have a patch that includes the City of Lathrop’s seal – which illustrates the city’s history by highlighting its agricultural roots, its ties to the railroad industry, and the red and white smokestack of the LOF glass plant that came down last year.

Deputies will also wear specially-designed badges that illustrate the officer’s allegiance to both the sheriff’s office and the City of Lathrop – which has contracted for its policing services with the sheriff’s office ever since it incorporated more than three decades ago.

The new developments are a testament not only to Biedermann’s connections to the City of Lathrop – which he patrolled for years – but also the ties of Sheriff Pat Withrow to the community that he served faithfully before retiring from law enforcement and deciding to run for sheriff.

“You build relationships over your tenure in a community – I’m on my 13th year here in Lathrop, and Pat spent even more time than that,” Biedermann said. “Now that he’s in charge of the whole operation, he still has that same love for the city so when I come up with ideas for operations, he loves it and supports these ideas because he knows it will benefit the people of Lathrop.

“When you’re assigned to a division like this it’s about much more than just policing – there is so much more to it than just going out there and doing your assignment and going home. You have a connection to the people, and this illustrates that.”

There are currently three members of the department that are wearing the patches and badges on their uniform, and Biedermann said that the allotment needed to outfit the entire department are on order and are expected to arrive in September.

To contact reporter Jason Campbell email jcampbell@mantecabulletin.com or call 209.249.3544.