The Tehachapi Police Department added to its sworn ranks Aug. 14 with the swearing-in of Anthony Bonelli as a new reserve police officer. Deputy City Clerk Ashley Whitmore swore-in Bonelli in front of Chief of Police Kent Kroeger, several of his fellow officers and city staff at Tehachapi City Hall. The Tehachapi Police Department has 17 fulltime-sworn members and now 2 reserve police officers.

"I have been working with the police department for the last year (in code enforcement) and got a chance to see how hard the police officers worked and they treated me like family. I wanted to play a bigger part to help the department. I went back to school (academy) last year and received my recertification as a reserve officer and applied," said Officer Anthony Bonelli.

Bonelli put himself through police academy in the evenings and on weekends from February through June of 2019 to receive his re-certification as a reserve peace officer. He becomes the second reserve police officer on the Tehachapi Police Department.

"Reserve police officers can play a big role for a law enforcement agency, they augment your full-time compliment of officers and can fill needs for your department. We are very happy to have him as a reserve officer," said Kent Kroeger Chief of Police.