Promotions, hirings and a farewell for the Lompoc Police Department kicked off the City Council meeting this week.
Lompoc Police Chief Patrick Walsh promoted three current employees and introduced a newly hired police officer and police records technician during the Tuesday night meeting.
Walsh said the ceremony occurred during the council meeting because it’s important for the community to meet the police officers and staff.
“It’s important to me that you know they are committed to you,” Walsh said, noting the increased violence toward law enforcement officers and new legislation make the job more difficult.
“As a chief you have to hire and promote people that are going to be right people to lead and these, ladies and gentlemen, are the right people to lead,” he said. ‘I’m very proud of these promotions and hires.
“We’re in good hands,” Walsh added.
Sgt. Deanna Clement was promoted to police captain, making her the first female to hold that rank in the history of the Lompoc department, Walsh noted.
Clement, raised in a law enforcement family, has worked for the Lompoc agency for more than 25 years and was hired as a full-time officer in 1991.
She is married to Chris Clement, an investigator with the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office. They have three children.
Cpl. Vincent Magallon was promoted to sergeant, and Officer Sergio Arias was promoted to corporal.
Magallon, a Lompoc native who is the youngest of five sons, graduated from Lompoc High School in 2000 and Allan Hancock College. He joined the department in 2002.
He and his wife have two children.
Arias, a Lompoc High and Hancock College graduate, joined the Lompoc agency staff in 2006. In 2010, he received the H. Thomas Guerry Award for Superior Performance and two years later received the H. Thomas Guerry Award for Valor.
He and his wife have three children.
During the meeting, the chief recognized Officer Joseph Olivares who was sworn in earlier in the month and Candace Koff. a new police records technician.
The police chief also noted the retirement of Sgt. Lane Middleton.
— Noozhawk North County editor Janene Scully can be reached at jscully@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.