Sheriff promotes three to rank of sergeant
Sheriff Bill Wittman on Monday promoted detectives Jose Torres, Jordan Whaley and Nathan Polk to the rank of sergeant.
Torres, 34, a Visalia resident, began his career with the sheriff’s department in December of 2000. He was originally assigned to the Main Jail, and in 2004 he transferred to the Porterville substation. While there, Torres became a field-training officer and the Richgrove community-based officer. He also worked with the sheriff’s Explorer and Police Activities League programs. He was named Officer of the Year by the Porterville service clubs in 2005.
In 2007, Torres was transferred to the Sheriff’s Tactical Enforcement Personnel Unit. He was a SWAT team member, team leader and worked numerous drug trafficking investigations.
Torres took his latest assignment with the Violent Crimes Unit in 2010. In 2011, he received the Attorney General Award for his investigative work in the Homicide Investigations Unit.
Torres is supported in his new assignment by his wife of three years, Leticia, and his daughter Vivian.
Whaley, 28, also a Visalia resident, is a graduate of Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, with a bachelor’s in agricultural business. He is also a 2006 graduate of the Allan Hancock Police Academy in Santa Maria. Whaley came to the Tulare County Sheriff’s Department in 2008 at the Orosi substation. In March of 2010, he was transferred to his latest assignment in the Agricultural Crimes Investigations Unit.
Whaley is on the Farm Bureau Board of Directors. He is supported in his new assignment by his wife Karen, father, retired undersheriff David Whaley, mother Kathy, sister Jennifer Stepp and brother Jared Whaley.
Polk, 39, of Lemoore began his career with the sheriff’s department in June of 1999, assigned to the Bob Wiley Detention Facility. He also worked at the Adult Pre-Trial Facility. In 2002, he was transferred to the Pixley substation. While stationed in Pixley, he became a field-training officer and the Tipton community-based officer. He worked with the sheriff’s Explorers and the PAL programs.
In 2008, he was transferred to the Agricultural Crimes Investigations Unit, and in 2009 he moved to the South County Investigations Unit. Polk also worked the Narcotics Investigations Unit in 2012.
He is supported in his new assignment by his wife of 18 years, Shelly, his daughter Baily, and two sons Daniel and Landon.
