TEHACHAPI, Calif. — Five special volunteers were honored Tuesday for their longtime service in the Tehachapi Citizen's Service Unit. The unit was formed in Tehachapi by the Kern County Sheriff's Office in 1994 and five volunteers have been with the unit since it's inception.

CSU members help officers with administrative work and do tasks like house checks when local families are on vacation. The volunteering has become a big part of the member's lives.

"It's a great group of people. I've been part of this for 25 years, and it's something that's in my family," said Sergeant Michael Davies of the Tehachapi Citizen's Service Unit. "I have uncles who were CHP, and I was always interested in law enforcement. When this became available, I knew it was something I wanted to do and I've been a member ever since."

Volunteers are a big part of the work done by KCSO. In all volunteers for the Kern County Sheriff's Office donated over 86,000 hours serving the community in 2018.