Changes are afoot inside the Wenatchee Police Department hierarchy. Corporal Mark Ward, a 17-year veteran of law enforcement, has graduated to a supervisory role. The department said as much in a celebratory Facebook post on Wednesday.

For the uninitiated, sergeants "are considered first-line supervisors... they supervise, guide and support officers and staff. They are responsible for developing their team while meeting organizational goals and standards." The Wenatchee PD says it is confident that Ward will rise to the occasion.

According to the department, Ward has won awards for DUI enforcement and meritorious conduct in the line of duty. (The department lists Ward as a Medal of Valor recipient; that's the most coveted decoration in policing.) He has, or has had, many irons in the fire: field training officer, collision tech investigator, detective and EVOC officer.

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Ward got his start in the Washington State Patrol. There he wracked up some serious accolades, including Trooper of the Year for District 6 (2013). His transition to municipal police work has been anything but rocky. Just last year, in fact, Ward was named WPD Officer of the Year.

He'll be supervising the night shift for the remainder of 2024.

In other Wenatchee law enforcement news, Officer Miguel Ruiz, a standout on the department's Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) Team, has been promoted to corporal. Like Ward, Ruiz is highly decorated; he's been awarded Medals of Valor and Distinction. A former Marine, he did a tour in Afghanistan.

Ruiz will be on the day shift for the remainder of the year.

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Gallery Credit: Chris Cardenas