Five new Morgan Hill Police officers took their oaths of duty a couple weeks ago, and the city is looking to fill even more police positions in the coming months.
For the two fiscals years 2018-19 and 2019-20, the Morgan Hill City Council has approved funding for three new police positions, two of which have been recently filled. The third new position will be open as of July 1 (the beginning of the next fiscal year), and will bring the total number of sworn officer positions to 42 within Morgan Hill Police Department, Police Chief David Swing said.
Add in some recent retirements and officers leaving Morgan Hill for various reasons in recent months, and the MHPD is “in a recruiting and hiring mode, so our community will see some new faces on the streets in those black and white police cars,” Swing said.
Sworn in by City Clark Irma Torrez April 16 at Morgan Hill City Council chambers were five of the city’s newest officers:
• Officer Sam Huezo started with MHPD in August 2018. He was hired to MHPD laterally from Salinas Police Department, where he had been working patrol, according to MHPD Sgt. Bill Norman. Huezo is an Army veteran who served in Iraq. In Morgan Hill, he is currently assigned to patrol nights.
• Officer Kira Sareli started is a recent graduate of the San Jose Police Academy, who started working at MHPD in August 2018. Sareli is currently in the local department’s field training program, Norman said.
• Officer Sarah Una’Dia was hired laterally from the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office, where she began her law enforcement career in 2017, Norman said. Una’Dia worked courts and the sheriff’s westside division patrol before joining MHPD. She is currently in the MHPD field training program.
• Officer Eddy Gutierrez started with MHPD in March 2019. He previously worked patrol for Oakland PD. Gutierrez is a Marine Corps veteran who served in Afghanistan, and is currently in Morgan Hill’s field training program, according to Norman.
• Animal Service Officer Jarred Huddleston started his career with MHPD in 2018 as the city’s Graffiti Abatement Officer. Before that, Huddleston was active in MHPD’s Police Explorers program. He was recently promoted to Animal Services Officer when the city council reestablished funding for that position.
Chief Swing said of the new officers, “I’m certainly excited about having our new offices on board. Each fit well into our organization, and bring a different way of policing. We’re looking forward to adding that to how we provide service.”
There are currently two open police officer positions posted on the city’s “Job Opportunities” website. The starting salary for the open position of “Police officer – Lateral/Academy Graduate” is listed as $93,584.28 to $119,439.84 per year; and the starting salary for the temporary “Police Officer Recruit” position is $7,018.82 per month.
