Meet Half Moon Bay's New Police Force

At the July 19 Half Moon Bay City Council meeting, the community met a new set of faces: deputies, sergeants and a detective whose responsibilities have been extended to Half Moon Bay since the city and to the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office as a .

The new personnel were introduced by , head of the Sheriff's Half Moon Bay substation (formerly the ).

Williams emphasized the diversity of experience of the group, and added that Sheriff Greg Munks made it a "priority" for staff on the Coastside to possess expertise in a wide range of law enforcement specialties.

, Mark Reed and John Sanchez were also present. The trio were working at the Half Moon Bay Police Department (Loubal and Reed were sergeants, Sanchez an officer) prior to the department's dissolution. They were chosen jointly by the city's police department (including former ) and the Sheriff's Office to continue working locally in their new role as deputies.

Williams introduced personnel as follows:

Community Resource School Policing Unit:

Deputy Jerry Justice 

Deputy Mike Smyser

Deputy Adam Reininger

Barbara Bonilla, Director of Community Services for the

Patrol Unit:

Deputy John Lothian

Deputy Dennis Loubal

Deputy Mark Reed

Deputy John Sanchez

Deputy Patrick Taylor

Williams said that Lothian was one of the first deputies who expressed interest in working in Half Moon Bay, and that Taylor has SWAT team experience.

Investigations Bureau: Detective Jim Gilletti

Gilletti will conduct investigations for Half Moon Bay and "spent years working on the coast as a patrol deputy and investigator," Williams said. Gilletti is also a senior member of the Coast Rescue team and is an advisor to the Youth Explorer program.

Supervisors: Sgt. Steve Chaput and Sgt. Ted Bernstein

Both are veterans. Bernstein, Williams said, has 40 years experience in law enforcement – 16 years as an former officer and sergeant with the Half Moon Bay Police Department. 

The supervisors manage all the deputies and are the liaison to the Office of Emergency Services, the Search and Rescue team and the Hostage Negotiations unit, Williams said.

All officers from Half Moon Bay were absorbed into the Sheriff's Office as deputies except one who chose to take a position with the San Francisco Police Department. Both records staff for the former Half Moon Bay Police Department, Cheryl Martin and Elizabeth Yano, were also hired by the Sheriff's Office, as was Craig Reimche, Community Service Officer.

Department staff were sworn in as employees of the Sheriff's Office by Sheriff Greg Munks in a at the San Mateo History Museum/Old Redwood City Courthouse on June 14.