New officer at Merced College is also a veteran

Merced College added its newest campus police officer this month, officials said Friday.

Kenneth Braaksma was sworn in during the March 14 meeting of the college’s board of trustees, according to a news release.

Merced College Police Department Chief Tom Trindad welcomed the new officer. “With his broad experience, he will be a valuable asset to our college,” he said in a news release

Braaksma most recently served for 12 years with the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office, according to a news release. He also is a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, and previously served in the Navy Reserve and the California National Guard.

“Merced College has provided me with a great opportunity to serve the local community,” Braaksma said in the statement.

The campus police consist of the chief, four full-time police officers and 15 non-sworn citation officers, which all serve the main campus in Merced and the college’s educational center in Los Banos. The department also has a full-time administrative assistant.

This story was originally published March 31, 2017 at 11:34 AM with the headline "New officer at Merced College is also a veteran."