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Glendale News-Press (California)
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business News
November 15, 2013 Friday
Five Glendale police officers promoted, including sergeant involved in lawsuit
by Veronica Rocha, Glendale News-Press, Calif.
Nov. 15--Five Glendale police officers, including a sergeant involved
in an ongoing federal discrimination lawsuit against the Police
Department, were promoted Wednesday to higher-ranking positions.
Sgts. Tigran Topadzhikyan and John Gilkerson as well as Officers Scott
Holmes, Ernesto Gaxiola and Alex Krikorian were placed at the top of
promotion lists and were honored in front of family members, friends
and fellow police officers, who packed a room at the Glendale Police
Department headquarters.
Topadzhikyan came in first on a promotion list for a lieutenant's
position -- a rank he has tirelessly worked to get, but, according to
his U.S. District Court lawsuit, was passed over for previously.
Still, on Wednesday, Topadzhikyan said he was eager to start his new
position as the department's new west Glendale area commander.
"I look forward to continuing to serve the community and the city of
Glendale," Topadzhikyan said. "I am excited in accepting my new role
and providing the best service I can to our community."
In a joint federal lawsuit, which has been scheduled to go to trial
next week, he and Officers Robert Parseghian, Vahak Mardikian, John
Balian and former Officer Benny Simonzad claim they suffered
on-the-job discrimination, retaliation and harassment because they're
Armenian. The officers also claimed they were looked over for
promotions and denied career-building opportunities.
Glendale Police Chief Ron De Pompa dismissed claims the promotion was
connected to Topadzhikyan's lawsuit, adding that it "had nothing to do
with it."
The promotions, he said, were necessary because two lieutenants plan
to retire in December.
"Decisions to retire are solely those of the employees that are
retiring, so it is was it is," De Pompa said. "If people make
something out of a coincidence of the fact that a promotion is
occurring at proximity to a trial starting that is not my issue and
not my department's issue ... We do the right thing for the right
reasons and as soon as we had the opportunity to promote, we did."
The promotions were a long time coming for some of the officers who
tested for the new posts two years ago and waited for an opportunity
to move into more supervisory roles.
The new leadership comes as the agency prepares to welcome new police
chief Robert Castro, who will be leaving his post with the Glendora
Police Department and replacing De Pompa on Dec. 16.
"All these gentlemen have spent many, many years wearing the badge,"
De Pompa said. "They are very savvy and capable leaders."
Topadzhikyan has spent most of his life dedicated to the Police
Department, where he was a police cadet, then a reserve officer and
later worked various assignments as a police officer. He is currently
working on his second master's degree.
He's used his bilingual skills to help Armenian families in several
criminal investigations and has traveled to Armenia to work with
police there on criminal cases.
He most recently served as supervisor of a task force focused on
monitoring felons who have been released early from California
prisons.
Gilkerson was also promoted to lieutenant and will monitor south
Glendale, where he said he wants to open up communication with
residents, so they are more comfortable talking to police.
De Pompa said Topadzhikyan and Gilkerson were "very tenured [and]
experienced" and know their areas well.
Before becoming a lieutenant, Gilkerson, who was born and raised in
Glendale, oversaw the department's Community Policing Unit since 2008.
Community police have been a key part of De Pompa's implementation of
area command policing.
"John was the right man at the right time," De Pompa said. "I don't
believe we would have had the success that we had today without John's
leadership in that effort."
Now in sergeant positions, Holmes, Gaxiola and Krikorian will be
responsible for implementing the department's goals. The officers, De
Pompa said, are great leaders and "proven commodities."
As sergeants, they will be "out there where the rubber meets the
road," he added.
Gaxiola is an experienced detective investigating assaults, and is
known for his ability to handle highly sensitive and complex cases
involving sex crimes, De Pompa said.
"One thing that stood out from Ernie's career is his empathy and
compassion and attention to the victims," he added.
Next year, Gaxiola will ride in the Police Unity Tour in Washington,
D.C., in honor of a sergeant with the Santa Cruz Police Department who
was killed in February in the line of duty. Gaxiola used to work for
the police department in Santa Cruz.
Krikorian, an Iraq war veteran and a recipient of the department's
Medal of Heroism award, worked as a school resource officer and helped
organize "Every 15 Minutes," an awareness program for teens
highlighting the dangers of driving under the influence of drugs or
alcohol.
He was also a detective in assaults and robbery/homicide details as
well as a sniper with the department's Special Weapons Tactics Task
Force.
His sniper skills were put on display earlier that day, when he
expertly aimed and shot through the center of a golf ball from 100
yards away, De Pompa said.
Holmes is a longtime Glendale police officer who has trained fellow
officers and held a spot in the Special Enforcement Detail for many
years. He has also earned special recognition from the California
Attorney General.
As a new sergeant, Holmes wants to continue to mentor officers and be
"a good leader."
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business News
November 15, 2013 Friday
Five Glendale police officers promoted, including sergeant involved in lawsuit
by Veronica Rocha, Glendale News-Press, Calif.
Nov. 15--Five Glendale police officers, including a sergeant involved
in an ongoing federal discrimination lawsuit against the Police
Department, were promoted Wednesday to higher-ranking positions.
Sgts. Tigran Topadzhikyan and John Gilkerson as well as Officers Scott
Holmes, Ernesto Gaxiola and Alex Krikorian were placed at the top of
promotion lists and were honored in front of family members, friends
and fellow police officers, who packed a room at the Glendale Police
Department headquarters.
Topadzhikyan came in first on a promotion list for a lieutenant's
position -- a rank he has tirelessly worked to get, but, according to
his U.S. District Court lawsuit, was passed over for previously.
Still, on Wednesday, Topadzhikyan said he was eager to start his new
position as the department's new west Glendale area commander.
"I look forward to continuing to serve the community and the city of
Glendale," Topadzhikyan said. "I am excited in accepting my new role
and providing the best service I can to our community."
In a joint federal lawsuit, which has been scheduled to go to trial
next week, he and Officers Robert Parseghian, Vahak Mardikian, John
Balian and former Officer Benny Simonzad claim they suffered
on-the-job discrimination, retaliation and harassment because they're
Armenian. The officers also claimed they were looked over for
promotions and denied career-building opportunities.
Glendale Police Chief Ron De Pompa dismissed claims the promotion was
connected to Topadzhikyan's lawsuit, adding that it "had nothing to do
with it."
The promotions, he said, were necessary because two lieutenants plan
to retire in December.
"Decisions to retire are solely those of the employees that are
retiring, so it is was it is," De Pompa said. "If people make
something out of a coincidence of the fact that a promotion is
occurring at proximity to a trial starting that is not my issue and
not my department's issue ... We do the right thing for the right
reasons and as soon as we had the opportunity to promote, we did."
The promotions were a long time coming for some of the officers who
tested for the new posts two years ago and waited for an opportunity
to move into more supervisory roles.
The new leadership comes as the agency prepares to welcome new police
chief Robert Castro, who will be leaving his post with the Glendora
Police Department and replacing De Pompa on Dec. 16.
"All these gentlemen have spent many, many years wearing the badge,"
De Pompa said. "They are very savvy and capable leaders."
Topadzhikyan has spent most of his life dedicated to the Police
Department, where he was a police cadet, then a reserve officer and
later worked various assignments as a police officer. He is currently
working on his second master's degree.
He's used his bilingual skills to help Armenian families in several
criminal investigations and has traveled to Armenia to work with
police there on criminal cases.
He most recently served as supervisor of a task force focused on
monitoring felons who have been released early from California
prisons.
Gilkerson was also promoted to lieutenant and will monitor south
Glendale, where he said he wants to open up communication with
residents, so they are more comfortable talking to police.
De Pompa said Topadzhikyan and Gilkerson were "very tenured [and]
experienced" and know their areas well.
Before becoming a lieutenant, Gilkerson, who was born and raised in
Glendale, oversaw the department's Community Policing Unit since 2008.
Community police have been a key part of De Pompa's implementation of
area command policing.
"John was the right man at the right time," De Pompa said. "I don't
believe we would have had the success that we had today without John's
leadership in that effort."
Now in sergeant positions, Holmes, Gaxiola and Krikorian will be
responsible for implementing the department's goals. The officers, De
Pompa said, are great leaders and "proven commodities."
As sergeants, they will be "out there where the rubber meets the
road," he added.
Gaxiola is an experienced detective investigating assaults, and is
known for his ability to handle highly sensitive and complex cases
involving sex crimes, De Pompa said.
"One thing that stood out from Ernie's career is his empathy and
compassion and attention to the victims," he added.
Next year, Gaxiola will ride in the Police Unity Tour in Washington,
D.C., in honor of a sergeant with the Santa Cruz Police Department who
was killed in February in the line of duty. Gaxiola used to work for
the police department in Santa Cruz.
Krikorian, an Iraq war veteran and a recipient of the department's
Medal of Heroism award, worked as a school resource officer and helped
organize "Every 15 Minutes," an awareness program for teens
highlighting the dangers of driving under the influence of drugs or
alcohol.
He was also a detective in assaults and robbery/homicide details as
well as a sniper with the department's Special Weapons Tactics Task
Force.
His sniper skills were put on display earlier that day, when he
expertly aimed and shot through the center of a golf ball from 100
yards away, De Pompa said.
Holmes is a longtime Glendale police officer who has trained fellow
officers and held a spot in the Special Enforcement Detail for many
years. He has also earned special recognition from the California
Attorney General.
As a new sergeant, Holmes wants to continue to mentor officers and be
"a good leader."