January 2, 2008

SWEARING-IN CEREMONY
The Midland Police Department will welcome nine new officers.  The swearing-in ceremony will take place on Thursday, January 3, 2008, at 3:00 p.m. in the third floor classroom.

Riki Aguirre, Graham Bloodworth, James Cox, Johnny Flores, Wendy Hogan, Demetrius Lee, Jason Moore, Stephen Truex, and Erik White are recent graduates of the Permian Basin Law Enforcement Academy. 

They will move on to the Field Training Officer (FTO) program as Probationary Police Officers (PPO) for 17-weeks.  During this time, they are teamed up with experienced officers and are rated daily on their performance in the field as well as paper work. 

The media is invited to attend and to help make this a special day for these officers. 

PRELIMINARY AUTOPSY REPORT
Midland Police have received a copy of a preliminary autopsy performed on Alfredo Vela.

The report states the cause of death as multiple gunshot wounds.  Vela was shot three times, twice in the chest area and once in the arm.

On December 20, 2007, officers with the Midland Police Department’s SWAT Team were executing a high risk narcotics search warrant at 905 N. Weatherford when they located Vela in a bedroom, backed into a corner facing the officers with a semi-automatic gun pointed at them.  One of the MPD officers fired his weapon, a .223 caliber rifle, fatally shooting the 38-year-old suspect. 

Vela was wanted for delivery of a controlled substance. 

The M.P.D. Shoot Team is still conducting an investigation.  The Texas Rangers are conducting a separate investigation.  The Shoot Team investigates any incident where an officer discharges a weapon inside the city limits. 

Officer Mark Garza, the SWAT officer who fired the fatal shot, remains on Administrative Leave with pay pending the outcome of the investigation.  The 33-year-old officer has worked for the MPD for five years.  This is normal procedure in an officer involved shooting and does not mean the officer did anything wrong in the course of duty.  The investigation will determine if there was any wrongdoing.

Can't find what you're looking for? Try our search engine.