Elkhart Police Department welcomes six new officers
Posted: Jul 23, 2024 9:14 AM EDT
ELKHART COUNTY, Ind.-- On Monday, July 22, Mayor Rod Roberson swore in six new Elkhart Police Officers at the Police Merit Commission meeting.
This is the largest number of officers sworn in at a Police Merit Commission meeting since COVID.
The hiring of these officers brings the department’s staff to 124 of the budgeted 143.
Here are the six new EPD recruits:
- Patrolman Mitchell Garrett (#525) of South Bend, IN, graduated from Jimtown High School. He comes to us from C & E Construction.
- Patrolman Zachary Villani-Raymond (#526) of Elkhart, IN, graduated from Noblesville High School (IN) and has a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Olivet Nazarene University. He comes to us from Forest River, Elkhart.
- Patrolman Rey Lozano Heredia (#527) of La Porte, IN, graduated from Borger High School (Borger, TX) and served as a Specialist in the United States Army (served 2019-2022). He comes to us from the Indiana Department of Corrections.
- Patrolman Randy Allen, Jr. (#528) of New Paris, IN, graduated from Fairfield High School (Goshen, IN). He comes to us from Forest River, Goshen.
- Patrolman Joshua Gorball (#529) of Elkhart, IN, graduated from Concord High School. He also graduated from Grand Valley State with a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration. He comes to us from Discount Tire, Wyoming, MI
- Patrolman Nicholas Lewallen (#530) of Goshen, IN, graduated from Goshen High School. He comes to us from Lippert, Nappanee.