Eight Merced police officers sworn in to new roles during ceremony
Eight officers have climbed the ranks of the Merced Police Department.
In total, Merced Police Chief Tom Cavallero swore in two new captions, three new lieutenants, and three new sergeants to the command staff during the June 1 ceremony at Golden Valley High School, according to a Merced Police Department news release.
Joseph Weiss was sworn in as captain. Weiss was hired at the Merced Police Department in May of 1998 and was assigned to patrol and detectives as well as serving on the SWAT Team, Bomb Squad, and the Crime Scene Response Team, according to the release.
Weiss was promoted to sergeant in 2009 and supervised the patrol officers and the Gang Violence Suppression Unit. He was promoted to lieutenant in 2018 and was assigned to the Operations Division. He will continue to oversee the division as captain.
Alan Ward was also sworn in as a captain. He was hired by the department in October of 1993 and assigned to patrol, the K-9 Unit, and the Crisis Response Team. He was promoted to sergeant in 2006 and supervised patrol officers and the Disruptive Area Response Team. Ward received a promotion to lieutenant in 2018 and was assigned to the Operations Division and the Administrative Division. He will continue to oversee the Administrative Division as Captain.
Daniel Dabney, who was sworn in as lieutenant, was hired by the Merced Police Department in May of 1999. Dabney previously worked as a Merced County deputy sheriff for two years and spent three years as an officer for the City of Hughson. Dabney also spent several years on the department’s bomb squad and is a former member of the Crime Scene Response Team, according to the release. Dabney was promoted to sergeant in 2015 and assigned to the Traffic Unit, Patrol, Drone Team, and Disruptive Area Response Team. As Lieutenant, Dabney will be assigned to the Operations Division.
Emily Foster was sworn in as lieutenant and is the first woman to be promoted to the rank in the department’s history, according to the release.
Foster was hired by the Merced Police Department in July of 2001. She began her career in a non-sworn position and became a Reserve Officer in 2004, before being hired as a full-time police officer in 2006. Foster worked as a School Resource Officer and has served on the Crime Scene Response Team and Crisis Negotiations Team, and as a Field Training Officer. Foster was promoted to sergeant in 2019 and supervised both the Patrol and Administrative Division. She has also supervised the Crisis Negotiation Team, Crime Scene Response Team, and the Field Training Officers Program, according to the release. As Lieutenant, Foster will be assigned to the Operations Division.
Joseph Perez was sworn in as a lieutenant. He began his law enforcement career with the Merced Police Department in September of 2002. Perez was born in Merced and graduated from Golden Valley High School in 1998, according to the release. Perez has worked in Patrol, the Disruptive Area Response Team, Detectives Division, the Gang Violence Suppression Unit, and the Bomb Squad. He was promoted to sergeant in 2018 and assigned to the Gang Violence Suppression Unit and Patrol. As Lieutenant, Perez will be assigned to the Administrative Division, according to the release.
Kalvin Haygood, who was sworn in as a sergeant, is a 2002 graduate of Atwater High School. He was hired by the Merced Police Department in June of 2005. During his career with the department, he has been assigned to the Gang Violence Suppression Unit, Patrol, Detectives Division, the Disruptive Area Response Team, and is a former member of the SWAT Team.
Jeremy Salyers, who was sworn in as a sergeant, was hired by the Merced Police Department in December of 2006 and has been assigned to the Gang Violence Suppression Unit, Patrol, and the Detectives Division during his time with the department. He is a current member of the SWAT Team and a former of the department’s Crime Scene Response Team, according to the release. As Sergeant, Salyers will supervise the Gang Violence Suppression Unit.
Nathan Mckinnon, who was sworn in as sergeant, was hired by the Merced Police Department in 2005 and has worked in the Patrol and Traffic Unit, according to the release. He is a current member of the department’s Crisis Negotiations Team and also serves as an advisor for the Merced Police Department Explorer Post. Mckinnon spent three years as a Field Training Officer and also served on the Bike Patrol Unit and Crime Scene Response Team before his promotion. Mckinnon will supervise Patrol in his role as a sergeant.