City of Merced swears in four new officers

Four new police officers were sworn in by Merced Police Chief Norman Andrade today. The officers will begin their field training with a veteran officer before hitting the streets by themselves.

With the arrival of the four new officers, the Department now has 89 sworn officers and is budgeted for 94.

The new officers are:

Badge No. 251: Enrique Rodriguez, 36, who worked as a dispatcher for the City of Merced for 7 ' years. He is a graduate of Golden Valley High School. He had his badge pinned on him by his wife, Maria. The couple has two boys. In his spare time, he enjoys playing soccer.

Badge No. 252: Tyler McCannon, 23, is a graduate of Golden Valley High School who is attending Merced College. In his spare time, he enjoys boxing, jujitsu and video games. He had his badge pinned on him by his grandfather, David Rosenberger.

Badge No. 253: Jacob Fister, 27, is a Golden Valley High School graduate who also attended Merced College. Fister is a fourth-generation police officer. He worked for Riggs Ambulance for a number of years as an EMT and MTO. He had his badge pinned on him by his wife, Megan. The couple is expecting a baby. In his spare time, he enjoys remodeling his house, where his current project is redoing a bathroom.

Badge No. 254: Jessica Morehead, 22, a graduate of Syracuse High School in Utah. She received a medical assistant certificate from DACT, Utah, where she was in the Honor Society. She worked at the California Health Care Facility in French Camp. She is engaged to be married. She had her badge pinned on her by her aunt, Mary Morehead, a dispatcher at Delta College, who inspired her to go into law enforcement. In her spare time, she's been a volunteer in the Fallen Officer Hockey Night and enjoys playing soccer.