Rialto Police Department holds Promotion Ceremony

On January 22^nd at the Rialto Playhouse, 12 staff members with the Rialto Police Department were promoted. These promotions were made possible by opening up positions that were closed or frozen, as well as recent retirements. The Rialto City Council has looked at staffing levels and is looking for areas where increasing staff in the Police Department will have the greatest impact on the community and residents.

One thing that has changed with these promotions is that the Police Department now has 5 lieutenants and there are plans to go back to having four area commands instead of splitting the city in half. These promotions allow Traffic and Operations, two large divisions of the department, to be given two other lieutenants and allow the workload to be more evenly distributed.

One of the new Lieutenants is Cameron Nelson, who has risen within the Rialto Police Department quickly. Lieutenant Nelson is most well known to the Rialto Community as the 1^st Rialto Police Corporal at the time to lead the Community Policing program that exists today. Lieutenant Nelson “worked hard to use the resources at his disposal to create positive change for the community” said Rialto Resident Rick York.

Lieutenant Nelson will be continuing with the Traffic Division where he previously worked as a sergeant. Lieutenant Johnny Partida was promoted to Sergeant in 2012 and is now a part of the expanded leadership team and tasked with overseeing the Operations Division.

Three corporals have been promoted to the rank of sergeant: Lamont Quarker, Joseph Viola and Carla McCullogh.

At the January 22^nd city council meeting City Councilman Ed Scott said that he couldn’t think of a more deserving person than Carla McCullogh. “She has been with Rialto for a long time with some ups and downs; I knew she would be there!”

There were seven people promoted to the rank of corporal: Nicholas Parcher, Javier Pulido, Dwuan Rice, Anthony Quinonez, Ralph Ballew, Steven Wright and David Padilla. Corporal Javier Pulido has been leading the Pride Platoon program specifically designed to deal with “at-risk” youth.  It utilizes proactive and innovative techniques for positive redirection.  Overseen by Rialto Police personnel, the 14-week program offers treatment, prevention, and disciplinary components to alter negative behavior.

Corporal Dwuan Rice has worked in the community policing program and has led the program over the last year. Corporal Nicholas Parcher worked on the narcotics task force and was a regular face at local area command meetings. Corporal Parcher was not shy to answer residents’ questions or complaints.

“Getting here wasn’t easy, the whole process was difficult for them,” Chief Kling said. “There was an assessment center with 36 different assessment evaluators over a course of two weeks.”

The promoted personnel and newly hired officers will be introduced to the community at a city council meeting in February.