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Five officers received promotions in a small ceremony this week as the Cortez Police Department works to ease its lieutenants\u2019 workload. The promotions also were a response to the retirement of veteran Patrol Sgt. Dave Allmon and drug abuse officer Vern Rucker.<\/p>\n
Allmon served for 20 years, and Rucker for over 29, according to Assistant Chief of Police Andy Brock.<\/p>\n
Brock was selected to fill the newly created assistant chief job. Chief Vernon Knuckles lobbied Cortez City Council last month<\/a> for money to create the position, arguing that patrol and detective lieutenants were burdened with added responsibilities that keep them from focusing on their divisions.<\/p>\n Before the department changes, the patrol lieutenant was responsible for managing the patrol division, dispatch center, animal shelter and community services.<\/p>\n The detective lieutenant oversaw the detective division, records division, evidence and property and the victim advocate coordinator.<\/p>\n \u201cIt spreads them so thin that often times things get missed because there\u2019s just so much to keep track of,\u201d Knuckles told City Council last month.<\/p>\n Brock will oversee much of the department\u2019s day-to-day operations and some of those extra responsibilities.<\/p>\n The additional cost to the 2021 budget, between the salary, computer equipment and office furniture, comes out to $131,147.<\/p>\n \u201cThis gives both lieutenants an opportunity to kind of focus more on their division,\u201d Brock said. \u201cThey can effectively just concentrate on their division.\u201d<\/p>\n Knuckles will continue to focus on community relations and the long-term future of the agency.<\/p>\n Patrol Sgt. Rex Brinkerhoff was promoted to patrol lieutenant.<\/p>\n Angelo Martinez was promoted for the second time to patrol sergeant after taking on a temporary assignment with the investigations division.<\/p>\n Patrol officer Mike Moran was promoted to patrol sergeant, and officer Stephon Lobato was made a detective.<\/p>\n Together, the five officers have a combined total of 91 years of experience.<\/p>\n Brock told The Journal <\/em>that the department has begun utilizing its recently purchased<\/a> Axon body cameras.<\/em><\/p>\n New Axon Tasers have also come in, but the department intends to implement one thing at a time.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a learning curve for one thing,\u201d Brock said. \u201cWe\u2019ll wait, then learn the next thing.\u201d<\/p>\n