Santa Rosa, CA: Yesterday, December 7th, 2023, two new Lakeport Police Officers graduated from the Santa Rosa Junior College Public Safety Training Center (SRJCPSTC). Chief Brad Rasmussen subsequently sworn them into office, while they were surrounded by city staff and family members who also pinned their new badges on them. The Officers, Marissa Onate and Alexis Pizano, both 24 years old, both grew up in Lake County and attended local schools. Both are Hispanic and speak English and Spanish.
After high school, Onate attended Santa Rosa Junior College receiving 2 associate degrees, one of those in Administration of Justice, and then moved on to Sacramento State University where she received a bachelor’s degree in administration of justice. While at these colleges she also worked for the campus police departments. Prior to being hired by us as a police trainee in July of 2022, she served as a substitute teacher at Lower Lake High School. During graduation, Onate was recognized as being tied for 2nd place in Student Scenario Testing.
Pizano who immigrated to the United States at two years old, was a member of the local work force in Lakeport before being hired by us as a police trainee in July of this year. He was also raising his young daughter while attending the police academy.
The hiring of these officers, who went through extensive testing, background process and pre-academic agency training over the past 18 months is part of the Lakeport City Council’s policy implementation on police retention and recruitment for our community. They are also part of the City and Police Departments goals of hiring to make the police department a reflection of the community it serves.
There were 43 total graduates from 16 agencies in the north coast region. Some outstanding facts about this academy class are that it was #2 academically out of the 42 other current academy classes in California, no one failed from the class, 12 were veterans, 14 speak two languages, 18 have bachelor's degrees, 5 have master’s degrees and 15 were female – the most ever in a SRJCPSTC academy.
City staff attending the graduation and supporting the new officers were, City Manager Kevin Ingram, Chief of Police Brad Rasmussen, Lieutenant Dale Stoebe, Sergeant Sarah Hardisty, Records & Evidence Supervisor Tammy Prather and Officers Shaun Johnson, Juan Altamirano and Todd Freitas
