Behind the Badge
One’s a Dodgers fan, two are former Los Angeles Police Department officers, one’s a respected Drug Recognition Expert, and the fifth just helped form a new Peer Support Team
Meet the five recently promoted sergeants at the Fullerton Police Department, who agree that the agency’s culture of being proactive and community oriented is one of its greatest assets.
Jose Arana
Arana began as a cadet at the Fullerton PD — an experience, he says, that fueled his desire to become a cop.
“I was attracted to the concept of providing a service to citizens in need and had a strong desire to help citizens who are victimized by the predators of our society,” says Arana, 35, who bleeds Dodgers blue.
Arana was hired as a police officer in 2001 and attended the Orange County Sheriff’s Academy.
After working patrol for a couple of years, he worked narcotics/vice for four years. He then was transferred to the Crimes Against Persons Unit, where Arana investigated everything from minor assaults to homicides.
As a sergeant, Arana’s duties include overseeing uniform patrol officers in their daily duties such as briefing, training, providing assistance when needed in the field, making sure the department’s policies are followed and interacting with the public in the station and in the field.
In addition to the Dodgers, Arana enjoys working on home projects.
Tim Kandler
Kandler knew he wanted to become a cop after taking an administration of justice class in college.
His career started in 1995 with the Los Angeles Police Department, where he worked as a patrol officer, undercover narcotics officer, and major assault crimes officer in the detective bureau.
Three years later, Kandler joined the Fullerton Police Department. Here, he has worked as a patrol officer, K-9 handler, field training officer, school resource officer and as a property crimes detective.
As a sergeant, Kandler, 40, supervises field operations and patrol officers during a patrol shift. He also handles administrative matters such as citizen complaints, use of force incidents and internal investigations.
“I enjoy the size and diversity of the department, which provides us with the ability to actually have an impact on crime for the citizens who live and work in the city,” Kandler says.
Kandler and his wife, Tiffany, have been married 17 years. They have a son, Jason, 19, and a daughter, Madison, 14.
Jon Radus
Radus, 36, calls law enforcement a “noble” profession.
Says Radus: “After our career is over and done with, we can say that we truly did something to positively impact our community.”
Radus started with the Fullerton PD in 2003. After working patrol, he was part of the four-person Echo Unit that targeted alcohol-related crimes in and around downtown Fullerton bars. Radus then transferred to the Target Gang Unit.
A former FTO, Radus served on the SWAT Team for seven years. He now is a Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) and Drug Recognition Expert Instructor — one of eight from the Fullerton PD who teach advanced officer training on DUI enforcement and drug recognition.
As a sergeant, Radus, who is married with three children, is assigned to weekend day shift. He also supervises the agency’s Field Training Program and runs its DRE Program.
“I’ve had an incredible career thus far at Fullerton,” Radus says. “Our department has been through quite a bit in the last few years, but even in our darkest times, the officers and support staff here worked through it and we came out a better agency as a result.”
John Ema
Ema, 43, grew up in the area and went to college in Fullerton. To help support himself, he worked at a local Ralph’s.
“I’ve always respected the Fullerton Police Department,” Ema says, “and always hoped to work here.”
His dream came true in 2005, when he transferred to the Fullerton PD after working seven years at the Los Alamitos PD — five of those as a K-9 officer assigned to a dog named Oska.
At the Fullerton PD, Ema has worked as a Field Training Officer and, like Radus, was assigned to the downtown Echo Unit, as well as the Directed Enforcement Team.
In addition to serving as a patrol sergeant, Ema, who loves to golf and work out, is in charge of the PD’s three K-9 teams. He also is a team leader on the agency’s newly formed Peer Support Team (click here to read story).
Chris Wren
Wren prefers to wear a white T-shirt under his FPD uniform – a sign of his 11 years at the LAPD, where white tees are part of the dress code.
“I’m proud of being a former Los Angeles Police officer,” says Wren, 41, who is married with two sons, “but one of the best decisions I’ve ever made was to join the Fullerton Police Department.”
Wren, who joined the FPD in 2006, says he’s most impressed with the agency’s “dedication to quality service.”
Says Wren: “Our department will always take a report when a citizen requests one. This is not often the case with other police agencies.
“I am also impressed with our department’s encouragement of proactive police work. FPD prides itself on its patrol officers taking a proactive stance on crime. Many other agencies’ patrol divisions are reactive and merely document the crimes and forward the reports to specialized units for investigation. FPD management encourages officers to contact suspected criminals before they commit crimes.”
In addition to being a patrol supervisor, Wren runs the PD’s Domestic Violence Advocate ridealong program. He also monitors the Cal State University Fullerton fraternities.
In his spare time, he loves to ride and restore vintage ’70s-era motorcycles, lift weights and ride horses.
