LAKEPORT, Calif. – Two law enforcement veterans took the next step in their careers on Tuesday when they were sworn in as the newest sergeants at the Lakeport Police Department.
The Lakeport City Council, along with a group of friends and colleagues looked on as Gary Basor and Michael Sobieraj took their oaths at the start of the council meeting.
Basor and Sobieraj had served in the capacity of acting sergeants for 14 months and eight months, respectively, before their permanent appointments, according to Lakeport Police Chief Brad Rasmussen.
Rasmussen said both men did an excellent job on a detailed testing process that included a topic on improving and expanding community police programs.
“Both are very dedicated to the community and I look forward to working with them in our service to the community,” Rasmussen said.
Basor, 60, has 19 years' experience in law enforcement. He joined the Lakeport Police Department in May 2011, having previously worked for the Lake County Sheriff's Office, where he had been a sergeant.
Rasmussen said Basor already possessed the required sergeant training through the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training, or POST. He also holds the POST basic, intermediate, advanced and supervisory certificates.
In addition, Rasmussen said Basor has extensive training in emergency management and search and rescue training, and is the department's emergency expert and trainer for the city.
He has an associate's degree in engineering technology and many hours of POST law enforcement training including tactical communications, terrorism, hostage negotiations, emotional survival and post traumatic stress, training manager, internal affairs and explosive device recognition, Rasmussen said.
Many of those skills were put to use last month when the Lakeport Police Department dealt with a bomb hoax at the Lakeport Unified School District campus.
Basor, who was on the scene of the incident, took part in a meeting with community members on Jan. 22 to explain the the department's approach to the situation.
Basor also took part in a mission to Haiti in January 2010 to assist with the recovery of victims killed in a devastating 7-magnitude earthquake, as Lake County News has reported: www.bit.ly/18MoOEy .
Sobieraj, 41, has been with the Lakeport Police Department since March 2013, and has a total of 10 years' experience in law enforcement, Rasmussen said.
He also previously had worked for the Lake County Sheriff's office, beginning as a correctional officer and eventually becoming a deputy sheriff.
His law enforcement experience also includes work in search and rescue operations, Rasmussen said.
Sobieraj holds a bachelor's degree in agricultural science from California State University, Chico.
Rasmussen said Sobieraj has basic and intermediate POST certificates, and has other POST training in emergency management and response.
Sobieraj is a POST-certified field training officer for new hires coming into the department, Rasmussen said.
City Clerk Janel Chapman administered the oaths of office to both men, who then received a standing ovation from the audience and council.
Mayor Martin Scheel congratulated the new sergeants, noting he had worked with both men, most recently with Basor at the community forum on the Lakeport Unified bomb hoax and school safety.
Scheel said the information Basor provided at that meeting helped answer the community's questions.
Basor and Sobieraj are “the kind of officers that Lakeport is definitely proud of,” said Scheel, who thanked them for their service.
Also on Tuesday, Lt. Jason Ferguson introduced to the council Lakeport Police's newest officer, Dustin Roderick.
Roderick, a Sonoma County native and motocross enthusiast, had first been introduced to the council last July as a reserve officer, along with Tyler Trouette. He's a 2009 police academy graduate.
Trouette also recently was hired as a full-time officer.
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