Katia Gonzalez was confirmed by the Public Safety Commission as the agency’s newest police officer Tuesday morning, after serving the department as a civilian employee for more than two years, this morning
Officer Gonzalez is a 2016 graduate of Dalton State College with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. While studying at Dalton State, Officer Gonzalez started work for the DPD as an intern through a partnership between the college and the police department. After completing her internship, Officer Gonzalez was hired as a part-time records technician in May 2014 and remained employed with the agency until applying to become an officer after her college graduation.
Officer Gonzalez completed the 10-week Georgia Public Safety Training Center Police Academy last week. She is also a 2012 graduate of Dalton High School.
Officer Gonzalez’s training now continues with the DPD’s “mini-academy” and then she will hit the road for some on-the- job training in the department’s Field Training Officer program. During the FTO program she will ride and train with and be evaluated by veteran officers.