Palo Alto Police Department veteran is tapped for captain
By Leigh Ann Maze
The Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department has selected a new captain, Alana Forrest, to take the place of Capt. Jeff Miller, who left on March 17 to accept the position of police chief in Rohnert Park.
Forrest, 38, will assume her new position at the LG-MSPD on June 19.
Forrest comes to Los Gatos from the Palo Alto Police Department, where she has worked for almost 17 years. Forrest is presently a lieutenant, serving as acting captain in charge of the investigations and support services division. She manages the detective bureau, records, communications, property and evidence and the press information officer unit.
While at the PAPD, Forrest gained experience in all areas of law enforcement. She worked on patrol, as a detective, as a school resource officer, a training manager, reserve officer coordinator, patrol supervisor, traffic and special events supervisor and patrol watch command.
There aren't many positions within the Police Department that Forrest hasn't held, except captain. When the opportunity arose in Los Gatos, she said she had to take it.
Chief Larry Todd at the LG-MSPD said he only had one qualified officer in his department for the captain position, so he opened up the application process to the outside. Forrest was chosen as the most qualified candidate from seven applicants from around the state.
"She clearly rose to the top as the best candidate in the opinion of all of the panels that interviewed her, and I concurred," Todd said. "I think she will be a good balance to my management team." Forrest will be the first woman captain at the LG-MSPD, according to Todd.
Forrest grew up in Turlock and graduated from Cal State University, Hayward with a degree in criminal justice. She has been working with the PAPD since she was 21 years old. "I feel like I've grown up here," Forrest said of the PAPD, "It's hard to leave a comfortable place, but an opportunity presented itself and I had to take it. It's been one of my ultimate goals to be a police chief someday."
Forrest researched the LG-MSPD before she decided to take the job, and liked what she saw. "It's almost like smaller version of Palo Alto," she said. Not to mention Forrest's commute from her San Jose home will only be about 10 minutes to Los Gatos.
Forrest holds a master's degree in education and instructional technology from San Jose State University.
She works as a part-time instructor at the South Bay Regional Public Safety Consortium Academy and at Evergreen Community College. She is also involved with a statewide group of police officers called the POST Law Enforcement Image Coalition, which works to improve the public image of law enforcement through police officer training and public outreach.
Outside of police work and teaching, Forrest volunteers her time with the Santa Clara County Humane Society's School Ambassador Program. She goes into kindergarten through second-grade classrooms several times a month to teach students about the role of the Humane Society, and how to be responsible pet owners. Forrest has two dogs and a cat of her own.
Forrest always likes to be on the move, and when she has spare time she enjoys cycling, competing in triathlons and gardening.
In her new position as captain at the LG-MSPD, Forrest will be responsible for overseeing support services, which includes the detective unit, records, communications, crime prevention, crime analysis, personnel and training and evidence. In a few years she and Capt. Duino Giordano will rotate responsibilities, and Forrest will be in charge of all uniformed personnel, Todd said. Giordano and Forrest share second-in-command responsibilities.
"I'm looking forward to working with the folks at the [LG-MSPD], meeting the community, and going in the direction the chief wants to go," Forrest said.
|
Los Gatos, California Since 1881
