Tania Chatila
In front of a crowded audience of nearly 100 proud friends, family
members and colleagues, three Glendale Police officers were promoted
to sergeant and one to lieutenant Thursday afternoon in a special
ceremony held at the Glendale Police Department community room.
Robert Breckenridge, David Buckley and Robert Zahreddine were
promoted to the rank of sergeant and Todd Stokes became a lieutenant.
Each was presented with a plaque and badge, and sworn in to their
new positions by taking the oath of office.
"Theoretically, you could do this in private, but I think it's
important to do this in public because it is a public declaration of
the oath of office that each of them are swearing to uphold in their
quest to provide the utmost protection to the citizens of Glendale,"
Glendale Police Chief Randy Adams said.
Born and raised in Glendale, Breckenridge graduated from Crescenta
Valley High School, and received his bachelor's degree in criminal
justice administration from San Diego State University in 2001.
He has been with the Glendale Police Department since 1987, and
has worked in patrol, special enforcement detail, burglary/auto
theft, narcotics and robbery/homicide.
In his time with the department Breckenridge, who is married with
three children, has been recognized as Lucky Narc of the Year by the
California Narcotics Officers Assn. and Police Officer of the Year.
Zahreddine, who moved to Glendale from his native Lebanon in 1978,
received an associate's degree in electronics and computer technology
in 1990 from Glendale Community College. His career with Glendale
Police began in 1991.
He is also married with three children and has worked in a number
of divisions within the department, including patrol, Galleria detail
and the intelligence unit.
He also spent one month in Armenia helping train police
detectives.
Buckley, who is married with two children, was raised in Burbank
and received a bachelor's degree in business administration from the
University of Phoenix before joining the department in 1984.
He began as a reserve police officer and has worked his way up
since. Buckley has worked in many different areas of the department,
including as a field training officer, on the DUI team, narcotics and
on the traffic bureau.
Stokes, who was born in Glendale and raised in the San Fernando
Valley, received his bachelor's degree in urban studies and master's
degree in public administration from Cal State University Northridge.
He joined the department in 1987 and was promoted to sergeant in
2001.
His career with Glendale Police has spanned patrol, juvenile
investigations, the gang unit and robbery/homicide, among other
units. Stokes currently serves on the SWAT team where he has been a
sniper and a team leader.
