Elkhart Police Department welcomes six new officers

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.