Behind the Badge
Each week it became more difficult, and each week fewer stuck around.
The program at the Orange County Sheriff’s Regional Training Academy is hard because it has to be.
Making the program hard is how tactical staff weeds out those who lack the grit to take on the challenges that come with being a police officer.
More importantly, making it hard is how the staff is assured the officers they train are prepared to handle the job.
“Real-life stress encountered by officers in the field is difficult to safely reproduce,” said Lt. Keith Mittermeier, academy commander. “However … our Tactical Staff is quite effective at their jobs.”
Deputy Christopher Rosales smiles as his mother Patricia shows her pride in her son with his girlfriend Jennifer, left, after receiving his new badge during the Orange County Sheriff’s Regional Training Academy’s graduation ceremony.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge OC
At the end of a grueling 26 weeks of testing their physical and mental resolve, 39 new officers graduated June 9 from the OCSTA.
In a poignant ceremony in front of hundreds of the officers’ colleagues, families and friends, each recruit walked across the stage to accept their badges.
“The badge is a shining reminder of a peace officers’ willingness to put service above self,” Mittermeier said. “It is the highest honor placed upon those who choose law enforcement as a profession.”
The class started with 52 people, but whittled down to 39 as each week progressively became more difficult.
To help each recruit persevere, OCSTA tactical staff drilled down on one important lesson: “Just do your job.”
“That has been a constant theme (in the academy),” said class president Blake Williams, who will join Torrance PD. “Regardless of how things were going on around you, how overwhelmed you felt, just do your job.”
The recruits did their jobs, got it done, and now are ready to do the same for the agencies they serve.
Orange County Sheriff Deputy Mircea Leoca gets his new badge pinned onto him by his daughter Bianca and son Ryan during the Orange County Sheriff’s Regional Training Academy’s graduation ceremony.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge OC
Class No. 220 represents 16 agencies across Southern California, including 12 in Orange County.
“You are all good men and women,” Orange Police Chief Tom Kisela told the new officers. “You were selected because of your character, but character without commitment is not enough. This profession demands results.”
Kisela implored the class to always maintain a desire to know more and be better.
“Your training was designed to provide you with some level of basic competency,” he said. “In the coming days, weeks, months and even years, you will learn how little you know. This profession requires a lifetime of learning.
“If you want to be successful, you have to be committed to learning. If not, you will not be effective.”
OCSD Deputy Dallas Mihalik gets a hug from her brother, Garden Grove PD Officer Danny Mihalik, left, and her father, Anaheim PD Motor Officer Danny Mihalik, after receiving her new badge during graduation ceremonies.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge OC
Meet class No. 220:
The Physical Training Award: Burbank PD Officer Jonathan Montalban
A.C.T. – Arrest and Control Techniques: OCSD Deputy Dallas Mihalik
Orange County Sheriff Sandra Hutchens presents one of OCSD’s newest deputies, Dallas Mihalik, with the Outstanding Arrest Control Techniques award during the Orange County Sheriff’s Regional Training Academy’s Class of 220 graduation ceremony.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge OC
Practical Application: Tustin PD Officer David Valencia
Tustin Police Chief Charles Celano, left, presents one of Tustin PDÕs newest officers, David Valencia, the Class of 220 award for Outstanding Practical Application Skills during the Orange County Sheriff’s Regional Training Academy’s graduation ceremony.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge OC
Firearms proficiency: Pasadena PD Officer Ryan Goetz
Written Examinations: Burbank PD Officer Joseph Nunez
Outstanding Officer Award: Costa Mesa PD June Juong
Brea PD:
Officer Miguel Nicolas Ojeda, Jr.
Buena Park PD:
Officer Daniel Delgadillo
Burbank PD:
Officer Rashaad Coleman
Officer Gregory DeBelius
Officer Jonathan Montalban
Officer Joseph Nunez
Costa Mesa PD:
Officer June Jeong
Covina PD:
Officer Dillon Flores
Fullerton PD:
Officer Jonathan Alvaradejo
Officer Lawrence Hayes
Fullerton PD graduates, Jonathan Alvaradejo, left, and Lawrence Hayes line up before entering the Orange County Sheriff’s Regional Training AcademyÕs Class of 220 graduation ceremony.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge OC
Irvine PD:
Officer Christian Gray
Laguna PD:
Officer Alejandro Diaz
Officer Christopher James Roberts
OCSD:
Deputy Jason Busk
Deputy Kyle Deaton
Deputy Steven Gibson
Deputy Elias Gomez
Deputy Jason Kyle Hicks
Deputy Mircea Daniel Leoca
Deputy Dallas Mihalik
Deputy Nathan Muldoon
Deputy Christopher Rosales
OCSD Deputy Steven Gibson gets a hug from mother Susan with his wife Jacqulyn behind him after receiving his new badge during graduation ceremonies.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge OC
Orange PD:
Officer David Nguyen
Officer Priyesh Patel
Officer Timothy Ralston
Officer Judd Wilkerson
Pasadena PD:
Officer Ryan Goetz
Officer Robert Griffith
Officer David Kilgore
Santa Ana PD:
Officer Connor Ahearn
Officer Leonardo Gonzalez
Officer Jaime Lopez
Officer Patrick Marshall
Torrance PD:
Officer Blake Williams
Tustin PD:
Officer Ismael Aurelus
Officer Leah Barrett
Officer David Valencia
UCI PD:
Officer Nicholas Akingbemi
Westminster PD:
Officer Christopher Doan
Westminster PD Officer Christopher Doan gets his new badge pinned onto him by his mother Ha and father Thomas during the Orange County Sheriff’s Regional Training AcademyÕs graduation ceremony.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge OC
OCSD Deputy Dallas Mihalik, right, salutes Orange County Sheriff Sandra Hutchens during the Orange County Sheriff’s Regional Training Academy’s graduation ceremony.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge OC
OCSD Deputy Kyle Deaton gets his new badge pinned onto him by his wife Hailey with his mother Wende and father Mark next to him.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge OC
Fullerton PD graduate Lawrence Hayes receives his new badge from his girlfriend Kaza with his father James and mother Renuka on stage with him.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge OC
Fullerton PD graduate Jonathan Alvaradejo receives his new badge from his mother Claudia and uncle Juan during graduation ceremonies.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge OC
Fullerton Police Chief Dan Hughes, left, and Irvine Police Chief Mike Hamel next to him attend the Orange County Sheriff’s Regional Training Academy’s Class of 220 graduation ceremony.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge OC
Elizabeth Kunce sings the National Anthem next to the Color Guard during the Orange County Sheriff’s Regional Training Academy’s Class of 220 graduation ceremony.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge OC
Orange County Sheriff Department graduate Steven Gibson, front right, lines up with his class before entering the Orange County Sheriff’s Regional Training Academy’s Class of 220 graduation ceremony.
Photo by Steven Georges/Behind the Badge OC
