By Michael YEGHIAYAN

The Glendale Police Dept. ceremoniously appointed two individuals to new positions on Wednesday at the police station in downtown Glendale. Chief Ronald De Pompa swore in Carl Povilaitis as the city’s newest deputy chief as well as Theresa Goldman as civilian commander.

Chief De Pompa commended both individuals for their achievements and contributions to the department, and noted that both Povilaitis and Goldman are filling inaugural command positions.

Deputy Chief Povilaitis has been a member of the Glendale Police Dept. since 1991, where he worked in the Field Services Division. He was promoted through the department, where he previously held a rank of captain in 2010 as the division commander of Support Services.

Having moved to Glendale when he joined the force, Povilaitis has been an active participant in the community. He has been an adjunct faculty member at Glendale Community College and is a member of the Kiwanis Club. In 2012 he was named the winner of the Glendale Adventist Medical Center Army of Pink, a campaign designed to raise cancer awareness in the community.

In accepting the position, the incoming deputy chief heaped praise on his colleagues and the entire department.

“This is a can-do organization. Everyone in this organization works so hard. It is not what can’t we do, or why can’t we do it, it’s how can we get it done,” said Povilaitis. “When we need to shift directions or when we need to solve a problem, the creativity from the bottom of the organization to the top of the organization – we manage to bring it all together.”

Commander Goldman previously served as Administrative Services Division commander in the Glendale Police Dept. She began her 32-year career in law enforcement with the Burbank Police Dept. before ultimately joining the GPD in 2012. She is the first female in the department to be promoted internally to the rank of commander, a position that holds the same power and responsibility as a police captain.

Her appointment marks the creation of a civilian position at a rank that oversees an entire division.

“[Commander] Theresa [Goldman] was kind of a godsend for our agency. Right when we needed guidance in the area of technology the most, we were able to coax her away from Beverly Hills,” said Chief De Pompa. “It has been tremendous having her on board and leading that effort.”

Additionally, Commander Goldman is a leading figure behind the Interagency Communications Interoperability System (ICIS), a shared radio system that provides communications to member-agencies within the Los Angeles area.

Both Commander Goldman and Deputy Chief Povilaitis have already officially been appointed to their respective positions, and were officially sworn in before the ceremony.

  MICHAEL YEGHIAYAN