6 Newton Police Officers Sworn In

Six new Newton police officers were sworn in Monday:

• Officer John Bergdorf is a 2000 graduate of Newton South High School. After graduation Officer Bergdorf joined the United States Marine Corp. During his time in the Marines he served one tour of duty in Operation Iraqi Freedom from 2004-2005. After the Marines Corps, Officer Bergdorf played semi-professional football for the Metrowest Colonials. In 2012 John Married Danielle Desrochers and the two moved to Westborough, MA. Officer Bergdorf has always had a dream of becoming a police officer in the City that he grew up in so that he may give back to the community that has given so much to him.
• Officer James Selig is a graduate of Dedham High School class of 2005. Officer Selig is a Marine Corps veteran who served in Iraq from 2008 to 2009 during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Officer Selig earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Bridgewater State University. Prior to becoming a Newton police officer he was a police officer for the U.S. Department of Veteran’s Affairs for three years. Officer Selig is married and has a young son.
• Officer James Crowe was born in Boston, MA to LouAnne and James Crowe. Officer Crowe was raised in Brighton and graduated from Trinity Catholic High School in 2009 and moved to Newton in 2010. After graduation he joined the United States Marine Corps as an Infantry Mortarman. He served in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom from 2011 to 2012. Officer Crowe continues to serve with the 1st Battalion 25th Marine Regiment as a Corporal in the Reserves of the Marine Corps.
• Officer Daniel Poutas grew up in Newton Upper Falls with his parents, John and Kathy, his sister Stacy and his brothers John and Rob. In 2006 he graduated from Newton South High School. Officer Poutas went on to graduate from Mass Bay Community college in 2011 with an associate’s degree in criminal justice. Prior to being hired as a Police Officer, he worked as an emergency dispatcher for the City of Newton for two years.
• Officer Katelyn Pohlman was born in Newton, to Newton natives Mary and Scott Pohlman. She attended Newton Public Schools through the 4th grade and then attended Landmark School in Beverly. After graduation she attended the University of Massachusetts Boston, studying criminal justice. While in college she played on the women’s varsity hockey team and also did an internship with the Newton Police Detective Bureau. Officer Pohlman was hired as an emergency 911 dispatcher with the Lincoln Police Department in July 2011, where she worked until her acceptance as a recruit with the Newton Police Department.
• Officer Tiffany Hamann was born and raised in Newton, MA. She attended Newton North High School, graduating in 2009, after which she attended Mt. Ida College. While in both high school and college she played softball earning multiple team records. During her junior year of college, Officer Hamann studied abroad in Australia where she took a terrorism class and was part of the Global Leadership Program. Officer Hamann also did an internship with the Newton Police, Detective Bureau in 2011. She graduated from Mount Ida College in 2013 with her bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and is currently working on her master’s degree in Homeland Security at St. Joseph’s University.

Photo: From left to right: John Bergdorf, Daniel Poutas, Katelyn Pohlman, Tiffany Hamann, James Crowe, and James Selig. (Credit: Newton police)

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