LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport Police Department has welcomed to its ranks two new reserve officers.
Dustin Roderick and Tyler Trouette joined the force and were sworn in by City Clerk Janel Chapman at the Lakeport City Council's July 15 meeting.
Lakeport Police Chief Brad Rasmussen then pinned the badges on both of the young men.
Rasmussen said of the badges, “I want you to remember what these things stand for,” explaining that the badges belong to the people of Lakeport, who the officers will serve.
Both Roderick and Trouette are reserve level one officers, meaning they will have full police powers while on duty, Rasmussen told Lake County News.
“They're going to be starting training to be full designated level one reserves,” Rasmussen said, which will give them the same peace officer powers at all times as regular officers possess.
Once their training is complete, they will then be eligible to work shifts, Rasmussen said.
Roderick, who was born and raised in Sonoma County, currently resides in Windsor with his longtime girlfriend, Jessica Spitzer and works out of Santa Rosa for Mesa Beverage Co. where he is a delivery truck driver. He's also an avid motorcycle enthusiast and formerly raced motocross at an expert level, according to Rasmussen.
Rasmussen said Roderick attended the Santa Rosa Junior College Police Academy in 2009 in Windsor where he obtained his certificate from the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training, or POST.
Trouette was born and raised in Ukiah, where he currently resides and works for his father’s plumbing business. He's an outdoor enthusiast and enjoys hunting and abalone diving on the coast, Rasmussen said.
Rasmussen said Trouette graduated from the Santa Rosa Junior College Police Academy in May 2013, where he was top of his class in physical training and defensive tactics.
The Lakeport Police Department has been conducting testing for officers since the beginning of the year, and recently had opened another application process that closed in June, Rasmussen said.
He said the goal is to have a group of candidates to choose from if and when police officer positions come open in the future.
“These two reserves were also applying for future positions here in the department,” Rasmussen said, noting they decided to come on as reserves since there were no current openings.
Currently, the Lakeport Police Department is authorized for 10 full-time officers, with all of those positions filled. Two of the department's officers are on leave, Rasmussen said.
“Right now we are putting together a plan to formally request a full-time detective position,” he said.
Rasmussen also is working on an application to the US Department of Justice for a three-year grant for a full-time school resources officer.
That position would be funded jointly by the police department and the Lakeport Unified School District, he said.
A school resource officer position previously had served the district but due to budget cutbacks hasn't been funded for the last few years.
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