Sierra Vista Police add six recruits as three long‑serving officers retire; new vehicles and motor unit announced

Deputy Chief Lewis of the Sierra Vista Police Department said Friday on KWCD’s First Watch that six recruits recently graduated from the Southeastern Arizona Law Enforcement Training Academy — a department record — and will begin field training with the department’s field training officers.

"We had six new graduates from the, uh, from Cleta, the Southeastern Arizona Law Enforcement Training Academy. And, um, yeah, it was great to see, uh, actually six brand new recruits," Deputy Chief Lewis said, calling the class a new record for the department. He said the additional trainees will keep field training officers busy in the months ahead.

Lewis also named three recent retirements, all with more than two decades of service: Detective John Papa, Officer Tracy Grady and "Corporal Diana TR." "We lost three. Uh so we had uh three retirements," he said, adding that the department had relied on their institutional knowledge and that Papa will return as a reserve to help as needed.

On equipment and operations, Lewis said the department purchased Chevrolet Silverados during the last fiscal year that are now being outfitted and will appear soon as marked patrol vehicles. He also said the department has reestablished a motor unit: one motor officer is already active and additional motorcycles are expected to be donated by the Arizona Department of Public Safety. "Our overall goal is we want to have two full-time and then um possibly the other two part-time," Lewis said of the motor unit staffing plan.

The department said no formal city calendar date was announced for when all new vehicles or donated motorcycles will be fully deployed; officials said officers will be trained and bikes outfitted before they are placed into routine traffic enforcement.

The department did not provide personnel or budgetary figures beyond the counts announced on the air. Field training and equipment rollout were described as part of routine departmental operations; no formal actions or votes were taken during the radio segment.

The Sierra Vista Police Department encouraged community members interested in the Citizens Police Academy, youth programs and upcoming events to consult the department and Cochise County Sheriff’s Office pages for signup details.