PHOTO #1: Victoria Police Department Deputy Chief Moya, right, accepts a badge from Chief Chuck Young in honor of her promotion to deputy chief during a ceremony Aug. 17 at the Victoria Community Center annex.
The Victoria Police Department’s newest deputy chief is a Victoria native who has served the department for more than 24 years in roles ranging from records clerk to interim deputy chief.
Deputy Chief Eline Moya was sworn in to her new position Aug. 17 during a private ceremony at the Victoria Community Center annex attended by local officials, law enforcement and family members. She is the first woman in the department’s history to hold the rank of deputy chief.
“I’m excited for this opportunity to serve our citizens and our officers in a new way as our department works to protect our residents, improve our community partnerships and provide excellent service,” Moya said. “I’m looking forward to promoting safety and enhancing livability in the city where I grew up.”
Deputy Chief Moya joined the Victoria Police Department in 1999 as a records clerk. In 2000, she attended the Victoria College Police Academy, and she began serving as a patrol officer upon her graduation. She has also served in the Training Unit, assisting with in-house training and recruitment; as a patrol sergeant within the Patrol Division; as the special assignment sergeant in the Criminal Investigations Division; and as the department’s public information officer. In 2014, she became the first Hispanic woman to be promoted to the rank of lieutenant. She was then promoted to captain and served as the Support Services commander and the Criminal Investigations Division commander. She has served as interim deputy chief since January.
Moya holds a Master Peace Officer license and is a 2014 graduate of the FBI National Academy. She was a member of the Crossroads Business and Education Connection (CBEC) organization for ten years and is currently serving as board president of the HOPE Child Advocacy Center.
More promotions among high-ranking officers
PHOTO #2: Five Victoria Police Department officers were sworn in to new roles during a ceremony Aug. 17 at the Victoria Community Center annex. Shown from left are Sgt. Francisco Reyes, Capt. Jason Turner, Deputy Chief Eline Moya, Lt. William Bernard and Sgt. Adam Banda.
Moya’s promotion comes after previous Deputy Chief Chuck Young was promoted to the role of police chief in May. Young’s promotion created a ripple effect that allowed multiple Victoria Police Department officers to be promoted to more senior roles.
A total of five officers were promoted during the Aug. 17 ceremony following Chief Young’s promotion and the recent retirement of Sgt. Melissa Rendon-Wasicek after more than 27 years of service in local law enforcement.
“Our department is fortunate to have many talented, experienced officers who are ready and willing to take on greater leadership roles,” City Manager Jesús A. Garza said. “The exceptional commitment and loyalty of these long-serving officers will help ensure that our department continues to provide outstanding service to the residents of Victoria.”
Capt. Jason Turner served with the United States Coast Guard and the Robstown Police Department before joining the Victoria Police Department’s Patrol Division in 2003. He has served as a field training officer, K9 handler and patrol sergeant and has held roles with the Criminal Investigations Division, Telecommunications Section and Internal Affairs Unit. He currently serves in the Support Services Division, where he oversees a variety of department functions, and is also the commander of the Crisis Negotiations Team.
Lt. William Bernard began his career with the Victoria Police Department in 2008. He started as a patrol officer and has held roles with the SWAT Team, the Traffic Safety Unit and the Special Operations Unit, and he has also served as a patrol sergeant. He currently serves as the supervisor of the Training and Recruitment Unit and leads the SWAT Team.
Sgt. Adam Banda graduated from the Victoria College Police Academy as the 2011 valedictorian and began serving in the Victoria Police Department’s Patrol Division. He served as a field training officer and bike officer before transferring to the Community Engagement Unit. He is currently assigned to the Patrol Division and also serves on the SWAT Team.
Sgt. Francisco Reyes began his career with the Victoria Police Department in 2012. He began serving as a field training officer in 2016 and has also served on the Mental Health Unit. He is a certified hostage negotiator and currently serves on the SWAT and Sniper Teams.
View more photos from the ceremony