By Carissa Marsh, Simi Valley Acorn.

Nyles Burch was driving west on Royal Avenue, on his way to work, when Simi Valley Police Officer Don Anderson pulled up next to Burch’s gray pickup truck and motioned for the 19-year-old to roll down his window. Though a bit perplexed, Burch obliged. And when Anderson asked him to pull over up ahead, telling the teen he “did something good,” the Simi native complied, turning onto the next residential street. He still didn’t know what was going on.

Not until Simi Valley Police Foundation board member Mary Ann Wales, a passenger in Anderson’s car, presented Burch with a $25 American Express traveler’s check and thanked him for being a safe driver. The young motorist was all smiles.

As Anderson explained, Burch had signaled his lane change on Royal near Fourth Street— even though no cars were immediately around him. For that simple act of courteous driving, Burch was the first driver of the day to be “pulled over” and rewarded on June 29 as part of the police foundation’s Safe Driving Program.

The program kicked off May 20 and will continue through the end of the year. Eight drivers are stopped and complimented during each of the program’s five rides, which coincide with long holiday weekends and the start of the school year. Three rides remain.

The Simi Valley Police Department had performed this type of ride a couple of years ago, and police foundation board member Jim Tokatlian resurrected the program this year, extending it into a series of rides instead of just a one-day event. “We’re doing this to promote and encourage and reward safe drivers in our community,” said Tokatlian, a Thousand Oaks resident and Simi Valley business owner. We want to see more safety,” he added. “We value our children, our citizens, and we want our community to be the safest city in the world.”

The program is co-sponsored by Simi Valley Hospital and TRC Medical, which are providing the $25 traveler’s checks.

“It’s devastating to lose a loved one due to traffic accidents, and we see this too often in the ER. As much as we like to heal people in need, we’d much rather see them stay safe and out of the hospital,” said Caroline Esparza, senior vice president and patient care executive at the hospital. “I hope this program reminds people to drive safely.”

Burch said he considers himself a “pretty safe driver,” and it’s “cool” to be recognized for doing the right thing. “I think it’s pretty good,” Burch said of the program. “If you stop more people and give out more rewards, I think people would start driving more safely.”

This philosophy goes hand in hand with Anderson’s personal approach to patrol. While he was in the traffic unit, he said, he did not issue tickets to two-thirds of the people he pulled over. “What is going to improve your driving more—a ticket or a friendly reminder?” he asked. “There’s a place for negative reinforcement, but I believe in positive reinforcement, too.”

Ventura resident Valerie Nigma, who was on her way to work in Simi, was the second driver Anderson stopped last week. The 28-year-old signaled her right turn at Madera Road and Cochran Street before turning into the gas station on that corner. Also, although she had time to go, Nigma waited for another vehicle to pass through the intersection first before making her turn. “I think this is sweet,” she said upon being handed her reward. “I think it would encourage more people to drive more safely. I have a long drive so I see the worst of the worst. I just want to get to work and back safe.”

Wales knows the feeling. The 16-year Simi resident works in Los Angeles and drives there every weekday. “I see accidents every day because I go into the Wilshire district,” said Wales, who’s been on the police foundation board for one year. And I’m recovering from an injury, a ruptured tendon, from being rear-ended on the 170. So I’m real big into safe driving.”

While the foundation’s mission is to provide the police department with financial and other assistance to support unfunded programs, services and technology, another goal is to promote public safety and public participation.

Wales was delighted to be rewarding safe drivers. “For me, I was raised with the attitude that the police officers were your friends,” she said. “The police department doesn’t get this kind of opportunity to interact with the public in a positive way (very often), so it’s very touching for me to be involved in something showing citizens that the police are here for you.”

Anderson agreed that the Safe Driving Program is a nice change of pace. “(The best part) is just the positive contact with people. It’s always nice to get a pleasant surprise,” he said. “Even though we’re not doing a red- light stop, just because I’m following someone I know it makes them nervous. . . . It’s fun to watch their expressions.”

Elena Michalek was one of those whose face went from open-mouthed confusion to grinning glee. Anderson approached the 42- year- old Simi mother in the Trader Joe’s parking lot after spying a correctly installed child’s seat, carrying 11-weekold baby Chad, in the back seat of her car. “Wow, this is my lucky morning,” she said after getting her prize. For the mother of two—her son Travis, 2½, didn’t accompany her on her morning errands— driving safely is imperative. She has precious cargo. “(When you’re a mother) you slow down, you’re more aware of the school areas—to slow for the 25 mph zone,” she said. “You really understand why (driving safely) is important.”