Loveland Police Honor Fleet Maintenance Team with 12th Player Award for Vehicle Support
Loveland Police Chief Bob Doran recognized the City of Loveland's Fleet Maintenance team October 11 for their essential role in keeping police vehicles operational and supporting public safety across the city.
The Fleet Maintenance division, which operates within the Public Works Department, maintains the entire municipal fleet including vehicles for police, fire, rescue, utilities, parks, streets and other city departments. The team received an official Loveland Police Department 12th Player jersey, challenge coins, and recognition from Chief Doran for their ongoing support of law enforcement operations.
Two Fleet Maintenance team members recently dedicated several weeks to custom-building specialized training vehicles for LPD's in-service programs, demonstrating technical expertise beyond routine maintenance responsibilities.
"This talented crew not only keeps every Loveland Police Department vehicle mission-ready, but also maintains the entire city fleet," the department stated in announcing the recognition.
Award Reflects Community Support Philosophy
Chief Doran established the 12th Player Award to recognize citizens and groups who provide exceptional support to police operations and community policing objectives. The recognition draws inspiration from Texas A&M University's "12th Man" tradition, which began in January 1922 when student E. King Gill stood ready to enter a game if needed during an injury-depleted contest against Centre College.
The award program emphasizes the department's core values of excellence, service, respect, integrity, transparency and accountability. Recipients typically include individuals or organizations whose actions have meaningful positive impact on police operations beyond what is ordinarily expected.
The Fleet Maintenance recognition marks an expansion of the award beyond individual citizens to include city employees whose work directly enables police service delivery.
Fleet Maintenance Supports Broader City Operations
The Fleet Maintenance division operates as one of 10 divisions within Loveland's Public Works Department, which employed 172 full-time positions and maintained a $48.5 million operating budget in fiscal year 2024, according to city budget documents.
Fleet Maintenance personnel handle vehicle specification, procurement, maintenance, repair and retirement across all city departments. The division's responsibilities extend beyond police vehicles to encompass fire apparatus, utility trucks, parks equipment and street maintenance vehicles.
Recent snow operations preparations announced October 1 highlighted the critical role of fleet readiness for multi-departmental emergency response, with Public Works, Utilities and Parks and Recreation crews operating two 12-hour shifts during winter weather events.
Regional Agencies Maintain Similar Recognition Programs
Fort Collins Police Services and Greeley Police Department operate formal civilian recognition programs through Chief's Commendations and Civilian Service Awards that acknowledge outstanding contributions to public safety operations. Larimer County Sheriff's Office issues Sheriff's Citations and Letters of Commendation for civilians who support law enforcement efforts.
Loveland's 12th Player Award distinguishes itself through explicit branding that frames community members and supporting organizations as part of the law enforcement team rather than external helpers. The sports-inspired concept emphasizes collaborative public safety rather than traditional commendation formats.
The Fleet Maintenance recognition demonstrates how the award program extends to city employees whose specialized skills and dedication enable frontline police operations throughout Larimer County's second-largest municipality.