GILROY
– The Gilroy Police Department has promoted two of its own.
GILROY – The Gilroy Police Department has promoted two of its own.
Since April 1, former corporal Chad Gallacinao is a sergeant, and former officer Wes Stanford is filling his shoes as a corporal.
“I think they’re both outstanding officers and will do an excellent job in their new promotions,” Gilroy Police Chief Gregg Giusiana said. “I was blessed with many candidates that were highly qualified, and it was difficult to distinguish between them, but these two came out at the top of the list.”
Gallacinao was most recently working a weekday patrol beat, but now he is watch commander of the weekend evening shift. Before being promoted to corporal last July, he worked on the GPD’s gang-specialty Anti-Crime Team and with the United Narcotics Enforcement Team for Santa Clara County.
Gallacinao began his law-enforcement career nine years ago, in 1995, as a sworn officer with the Morgan Hill Police Department. Before that, he spent two years as a reserve officer. He transferred to Gilroy in February 1997.
Stanford was a detective assigned to sexual assaults from January 2003 until his promotion. He is also a driving instructor for the GPD and a certified instructor in racial profiling. He now works a weekday patrol beat.
Stanford got his start with the Palo Alto Police Department in November 1995. He was a school resource officer there before switching to the GPD in November 2000.
“They’ve both demonstrated their abilities in several special assignments,” Giusiana said. “Even though both of them have started their careers with other agencies, I think that’s made them better officers because they’ve brought in ideas that have made us better.”
