A public servant, Officer Dan Marrello of the Riverside Police Department, recently retired after 20+ years of dedicated service to Riverside. Throughout my career, I have worked with Dan in various capacities, and he truly exemplifies what it means to be a “community officer.”
Dan was a Riverside resident who joined the force to serve his community. During my 13 years as chief, I never received a single complaint about his actions. On the contrary, I received numerous compliments from residents whom he had assisted with criminal investigations, helped find lost children, and even provided support in unusual situations, such as lighting a pilot on a boiler. Dan always went the extra mile.
This was particularly evident in 2021 when Dan volunteered his time to assist seniors in Riverside with vaccination appointments through a state program, even providing transportation. He did this off-duty and on his own time. I learned about his efforts when he came into my office one day to inform me that he would be volunteering. This was highlighted in a March 2021 article published in the Landmark titled, “A shot in the arm” (https://www.rblandmark.com/2021/03/02/a-shot-in-the-arm/)
One significant quote from that article, attributed to Officer Marrello, stated, “I just had an opportunity to help, and I didn’t want to waste it.” Do I need to say more?
As the years went by after my retirement as chief, I realized more each day what a wonderful community Riverside is, what a pleasure it was to serve, and how gratifying it was to work with individuals like Dan Marrello. I wish him well in his retirement and am proud to have worked alongside him. The residents of Riverside have undoubtedly benefited from his compassion.
Chief Tom Weitzel (Ret.), Riverside