How to resolve AdBlock issue? CLEARLAKE, Calif. – New Clearlake Police officers met the Clearlake City Council on Thursday, and special honors were given to another officer who saved the life of a city residence.
Acting Police Chief Tim Celli made the introductions and gave the commendation at Thursday’s city council meeting. The presentation begins at 6:38 in the video above.
Celli first introduced new city animal control officers Melinda Wymer and John Moretz.
Wymer began her job with the city in August, while Moretz came on board the week before the meeting, Celli said.
Celli said Wymer spent most of her life in Lake County, then left in 2003. In 2014, she and her husband returned, and are raising their three children here.
She began her involvement with the police department in 2015 through a citizens academy. Celli said Wymer later became a police volunteer before she was hired as a part-time kennel tech.
Wymer then left and put herself through the basic police academy. Celli said her goal is to eventually become a police officer.
Moretz came from a small town in North Carolina. When he was a child, his family moved to the Petaluma area and then later to Lake County, Celli said.
Celli said Moretz has two sons, and he and his girlfriend – who is a dispatcher – recently bought a home here.
Celli then introduced Officer Mauricio Barreto, who was born in Bogota, Colombia and moved to the United States with his mother when he was a child.
Barreto attended school in Sonoma County and later put himself through the police academy, Celli said.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office hired Barreto in 2009. He was a K9 handler for four years, seizing more than half a million dollars in narcotics, Celli said.
Celli said Barreto’s actions during the Valley fire also earned him awards and commendations.
Officer Jonathon Reynolds was raised in Lakeport and put himself through the Santa Rosa Junior College Police Academy. Celli said Reynolds may be the first officer in the department’s history to graduate in a Clearlake Police uniform.
Reynolds is married and previously raced mini stocks at the Lakeport Speedway, Celli said.
The department’s third new officer is Calli Batz, who at age 20 is the youngest officer they’ve ever hired, said Celli.
Celli said Batz, who comes from Stirling City, graduated from the police academy in June and was hired in November. She has a young daughter.
The chief ended his introductions with a special presentation to Officer Chris Kelleher, who has been with the agency since early 2016.
Celli said that police, firefighters and first responders do wonderful things every day. “And oftentimes the things that they do get overlooked as just going part of their job.”
However, in this case, Celli said Kelleher deserved special praise for heroic actions he took on July 7.
On that day, Kelleher responded to a report of a structure fire, Celli said.
When Kelleher got to the scene, Celli said he saw smoke and found out than an elderly woman was still in the residence.
Kelleher went into the residence, found the woman and carried her out to safety as firefighters were arriving, Celli said.
Celli said that, thanks to Kelleher’s quick actions, the woman was uninjured.
“It’s a tough call for a police officer on a fire because they’re not equipped for handling those types of situations,” said Celli.
Nonetheless, he said Kelleher went into the dangerous situation without hesitation and without thought for his own safety.
Kelleher received a standing ovation from the council and the audience as Chief Celli handed him the commendation.
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