The San Marino Police Dept. and Chief John Incontro recently welcomed three new officers and three new cadets to the fold. Five are featured in this edition
CADET MARIAH FELIX
For Cadet Mariah Felix, a flexible schedule was a must. And the San Marino Police Department obliged the new recruit.
“They were willing to accommodate my school schedule so I could work part-time here,” she said.
Felix said she is able to come in as early as she wants depending on her demanding schedule. She praises the department and how “the Watch Commander is easy to communicate with when it comes to my schedule.”
“This is my fun because law enforcement is so interesting to me,” she said.
Felix was an Air Force Cadet at USC. She currently attends Pasadena City College for Criminal Justice and intends to finish her degree at Cal State Long Beach in the fall.
“My goal is to become an officer with the San Marino Police Department,” she said.
OFFICER CODY STURGES
Officer Cody Sturges’s love for law enforcement runs in the family. His father and one of his uncles are assistant chiefs with the California Highway Patrol.
“TheytalkedaboutwhatitisliketoworkattheCHP,theresponsibilities,andworkingwithpeople,”hesaid.
Sturges attended UC Santa Barbara to study clerical science with an emphasis on international relations. He met with members of the San Marino Police Department, went on a ride-along and then enrolled in the Academy program last year. He graduated in March and has been patrolling the streets of San Marino since.
“I really enjoy it because it is a very pleasant community to work in,” he said. “Residents are appreciative of our services and that’s very rewarding.”
CADET JOCELYN SERRANO
Cadet Jocelyn Serrano loves to interact with people and she has a deep respect for law enforcement. Her father is a sergeant with the LAPD.
“I’m interested in how people interact within the community,” she said.
Serrano just graduated from Pasadena City College with studies in sociology, psychology, and social behavior and plans to complete her B.A. in sociology at Cal State Northridge this fall.
Sheisfascinatedwithhowpeopleinteractwitheachother.
“We’re all humans but we interact differently,” she said.
Serrano grew up watching television programs on law enforcement and seeing her father as a police officer. “I love the idea of helping people, learning how to protect them, and how to serve the community,” she said.
Serrano is appreciative of her hands-on experience with the San Marino Police Department, which will help her when she applies for the Academy program in the future.
CADET BRANDON ESPINOZA
With two sisters and a brother-in-law in law enforcement, Cadet Brandon Espinoza naturally became interested in being part of the industry.
“They have been a big influence in my life and getting interested in law enforcement,” he said.
One of his sisters is a records clerk with the Baldwin Park Police Dept. and the other is a crime analyst with the San Gabriel Police Dept. His brother-in-law is a police officer with the Azusa Police Dept.
Espinoza attended the Police Explorer program with the Baldwin Park Police Dept. He chose San Marino for its reputation as a small town.
“Ilikehowthepoliceofficersarededicatedtothecommunityhere,”hesaid.
Espinoza wants to become engaged within the community, especially once he becomes a police officer.
“I like how the office is very involved with the residents, including the Neighborhood Watch,” he said.
ALVAREZ
OFFICER JEANETTE ALVAREZ
One way or another, Officer Jeanette Alvarez was going to be involved in social work. She just wasn’t sure in what capacity.
Alvarez worked for four years at a nursing home and realized it wasn’t quite what she was looking for. She got the inside scoop on law enforcement from her family who work in the Sheriff’s Dept. in Riverside County.
She heard the pros and cons and made up her mind to become a police officer. She attended the Golden West Police Academy in Orange County last fall before recently joining the San Marino Police Dept.
“I grew up in a small town and San Marino is still like a small town despite being in L.A.,” she said. “And I can relate to being in a small town.”
Alvarez loves that San Marino is community-based and feels “homey.” She likes that she meets new people and that every day feels different. Officer Alvarez now uses her skills in social work and in law enforcement for the benefit of the city.
