The Santa Cruz Police
Department is pleased to announce the promotion of David Forbus and Jose Garcia
to Sergeant. Sergeant Forbus and Sergeant Garcia, both 12-year veterans of the
department, will be assigned to the Operations Division.
“It is a testament
to our department to have the caliber of applicants we were graced with for
sergeant,” Chief Kevin Vogel said. “Sergeant Forbus and Sergeant Garcia embody
the work ethic, commitment to service and community values that are hallmarks
of our department. Our community can be proud of the next generation of
leadership at the Santa Cruz Police Department.”
Throughout his
career, Sergeant Forbus has worked in patrol, investigations, the Neighborhood
Enforcement Team and a countywide narcotics task force. Sergeant Forbus is a
Field Training Officer and was a founding member of the Emergency Services Unit
(SWAT). He is a certified gang and
narcotics expert and while assigned to investigations he worked on a number of
high-profile cases.
In addition,
Sergeant Forbus received the Hazardous Duty Award for disarming a suspect that
attacked him with a knife. He holds a degree in Sociology from Chico State
University lives in Santa Cruz County with wife and two children. His brother,
Daniel, is an officer at the Santa Cruz Police Department and his father Don
was a Deputy Sheriff in Santa Cruz County. He was born and raised in Santa
Cruz.
Sergeant Garcia
started his work with the Santa Cruz Police Department as a volunteer. He
became a non-sworn Community Service Officer before being hired as a police
officer 12 years ago.
Over the course of
his career, Sergeant Garcia has worked as a foot patrol officer in the Beach
Area, worked in property crimes, sex crimes and as a homicide detective. He has
served on multiple local/federal taskforces dealing with narcotics and gangs.
While assigned to investigations Sergeant Garcia was the lead investigator on
some of the highest profile homicides and gang-related incidents in our city’s
history.
Sergeant Garcia is
one of the founding members of the Emergency Services Unit (SWAT) and is a
certified Hostage Negotiator. He currently serves as a K9 handler for the
department. Sergeant Garcia is a firearms instructor and certified gang and
narcotics expert. In addition, Sergeant Garcia was instrumental in developing
and expanding the Spanish language Citizen’s Police Academy.
