Tustin celebrates new hires and promotions during ceremony

By Lou Ponsi

The Tustin Police Department goes above and beyond to include everyone in their promotion and badge pinning ceremonies. These ceremonies carry great meaning for law enforcement agencies and the families, friends and supporters of those who are promoting or receiving their first badge.

Tustin Police Department’s promotion and badge pinning ceremony on March 9 was much larger than most, with 14 individuals either starting their careers in Tustin or being promoted to a new position. Every seat in the City Council Chamber was filled, and attendees were lined up shoulder to shoulder along the walls as they celebrated the moment.

Along with loved ones, current Tustin police officers and members of the command staff, along with personnel from other city departments attended the ceremony. Spouses, parents, children, siblings and friends were given the honor of pinning the badge on their loved one.

“We are bringing in or promoting up 14 people,” Tustin Police Chief Stu Greenburg said. “For a department of our size that is significant. For us to have this many people here to support the police department and your family members ... it just speaks volumes.”

These are challenging times for law enforcement, and recruiting and retaining qualified people is a challenge, the chief said.

“We will do everything to make sure that they have the proper training, the proper resources, and the ability to stay safe,” Greenburg said. “That is our commitment to you.”

The promotees and new hires are:

Captain Duane Havourd

Havourd was hired by Tustin Police Department as a reserve officer and became a full-time police officer in 1990. During his tenure, Havourd has worked as a patrol officer, field training officer, narcotics investigator, Narcotics Suppression Program investigator, Gang Enforcement Unit investigator, and as the department’s range master. After being promoted to sergeant in 2003, he worked as a patrol supervisor, SWAT team member/supervisor, Professional Standards Division supervisor and as a member of the Critical Incident Review Board. Havourd was promoted to lieutenant in 2019 and supervised the North Area Command, the Criminal Investigations Unit, City Operations Unit, and was a SWAT Commander.

Lieutenant Sarah Fetterling

Fetterling was hired as a police recruit in 2008. She graduated from the Golden West College Police Academy, completed the Tustin Field Training Program and was assigned to patrol. During her 15 years with the Tustin Police Department, Fetterling has worked in the Special Enforcement Detail, been a field training officer, patrol sergeant, Traffic Unit supervisor and Community Relations Unit supervisor.

Sergeant John Hedges

Hedges became a reserve deputy for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department in 2004 and was hired by the Tustin Police Department in 2006. He completed the Field Training Officer Program and was assigned to patrol. During his time at the Tustin Police Department, Hedges has worked as a patrol officer, motorcycle officer and field training officer.

Officer Daniel Bui

Bui served in the United States Marines from 2015 to 2020. Following his service in the Marines, Bui worked in the healthcare field as an emergency medical technician (EMT) and a vocational nurse before being hired by the Tustin Police Department. Bui graduated from the Orange County Sheriff’s Department Training Academy in January and is currently working through the Field Training Program.

Officer Alex Cowdell

After working in healthcare for 10 years, Cowdell made the switch to law enforcement. He was hired by the Tustin Police Department in December 2022 after a brief stint with the Beverly Hills Police Department. Cowdell is currently working through the Field Training Program.

Communications Supervisor Eric Nelson

Nelson joined the Tustin Police Department as a communications officer in 1999. Nelson has been a communications training officer and communications lead. He was promoted to communications supervisor in February.

Mental Health Manager Milena Andreani

Andreani worked for the County of Orange Healthcare Agency as a member of the county’s crisis assessment team. In 2016, Andreani became part of the assessment team’s psychiatric emergency response team, which assigns clinicians to work with law enforcement agencies. Andreani has been assigned to work with the Tustin Police Department and the Santa Ana Police Department since 2016.

Management Assistant Anita Garcia

Garcia began her law enforcement career as a records specialist with the Fullerton Police Department. She was hired by the Tustin Police Department in February 2022 as a police records specialist. Garcia was promoted to management assistant in February.

Crime Analyst Analysa Gallegos

Gallegos joined the Tustin Police Department as a police records specialist in 2019. In 2021, she was assigned to Criminal Investigations in that position. Gallegos was inspired by the investigations she was observing and earned a certificate in crime and intelligence analysis from Cal State Long Beach. She was promoted to crime analyst in February.

Communications Officer Kendra Egland-Slate

Egland-Slate is working toward obtaining a degree in criminal justice from Golden West College and will receive her degree in the fall. She started at the Tustin Police Department on March 21.

Police Services Officer Karan Flohra

Flohra worked as a records specialist and records trainer for more than six years at the Fullerton Police Department. She was hired by the Tustin Police Department in December 2022.

Police Records Specialist Monet Oncu

Oncu is currently working toward a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice at Cal State Long Beach. She worked in the Community Services Department for the City of Huntington Beach for four years. She was hired as a police records specialist by the Tustin Police Department in November 2022.

Police Records Specialist Leesa Montgomery

Montgomery earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Cal State Fullerton in 2019. She received an associate degree in psychology from a local community college in 2021 and was hired as a police records specialist by the Tustin Police Department in March 2022. She is assigned to the Criminal Investigations Unit.

Master Reserve Officer Mark Chavira

Chavira began his career in law enforcement in 1989 with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, where he went on to hold numerous assignments until his retirement in 2017. He was hired by the Tustin Police Department as a master reserve officer in February.

For more photos, visit behindthebadge.com.