The Grass Valley Police Department has a new second in command now that an experienced officer has been promoted lieutenant. Police Chief John Foster says, Officer Alex Gammelgard was promoted from Sergeant to Lieutenant to fill the Captain position that was vacated when Rex Marks took the Chief position in Lincoln CA. The City Council along with Foster chose to change the position from Captain to Lieutenant in order to allow promotion from within rather than hire from outside. Foster said Gammelgard was one of three excellent internal candidates.
Click here to listen to Chief John Foster

Gammelgard has been with the department since 2005 and has worked in a variety of positions including a field training officer, a member of the special incident team, and a detective as well as working to the rank of Sergeant.
Mayor Dan Miller provides additional details on why the promotion was from sergeant to lieutenant rather than all the way to captain.
Click here to listen to Mayor Dan Miller

Foster says another addition to the GVPD is new hire, Alex Bartkiewicz, from a Bay Area academy and is the fifth officer hired by funds made available through Measure N.

Both Gammelgard and Bartkiwewcz will be pinned at tonight’s City Council meeting.