Lakeport City Council honors Ferguson, welcomes new staffers
- Elizabeth Larson
- Posted On
LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport City Council on Tuesday honored a longtime police department member who is departing for a job in Sonoma County, and welcomed several new employees.
Mayor Tim Barnes presented a proclamation to Jason Ferguson, whose last day with the city as a police lieutenant was Friday.
Ferguson has been hired as the new police chief for the city of Cloverdale, as Lake County News has reported. His first day is Aug. 5.
He spent 21 years before the Lakeport Police Department, and has served as lieutenant since 2012.
Barnes ribbed Ferguson, who had been set to get the proclamation at the start of the meeting but appeared later, noting that in 21 years, he’d never been late – until he’d been unemployed for three days.
The proclamation noted that Ferguson was one of the first officers the department paid to put through the academy.
In his time of service to the city, he received 25 written commendations for his performance, secured more than $100,000 in state and federal grants, orchestrated the complex move to the department’s new headquarters on S. Main Street, and completed more than 2,500 hours of formal Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training-certified training.
Barnes said Ferguson is a dedicated, committed and respected member of the community.
Police Chief Brad Rasmussen then presented Ferguson with a plaque, recognizing him for his service and noting his important role as the department’s second-in-command for the past seven years.
Ferguson thanked everyone for the honors. He said the city had treated him well.
“I will surely miss everybody here,” Ferguson said.
Earlier in the meeting, the council approved a resolution on the consent agenda appointing Gerardo Gonzalez as interim police lieutenant while the recruitment for Ferguson’s successor takes place. Gonzalez is the retired Willits Police chief who has worked as a part-time level one reserve officer with the city since 2018.
City department heads also introduced new staff to the council on Tuesday.
Kelly Buendia, administrative services director and city clerk, introduced Dawn Miller, the new administrative specialist who will focus on human resources and benefits enrollment. Miller, who started work with the city on Monday, formerly worked for Bicoastal Media.
Rasmussen also introduced three new Lakeport Police Department personnel – records assistant Kerry Lopez, Officer Ryan Cooley and Officer Jonathon Reynolds.
Lopez, who worked as a teacher at Terrace Middle School for 16 years before retiring, has had a longtime interest in law enforcement. She saw the city’s advertisement for a part-time records assistant, tested and was an outstanding candidate, Rasmussen said. She’s been on the job for four weeks.
Rasmussen said Cooley came to the Lakeport Police Department from the Modoc County Sheriff’s Office. He and his wife Elisha are from Trinity County and were looking to make a change. Cooley started July 8 as a lateral candidate and so will have a shorter training time.
Reynolds, born and raised in Lake County, tested for the agency in March and started in mid-May. Rasmussen said he has about seven to eight weeks of field training left.
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