Mayor Ken Tedford, right, administers on Friday the oath for Fallon’s newest police captain, Daniel Babiarz, during a special ceremony.
Photo by Steve Ranson.
A longtime veteran of the Fallon Police Department was promoted Friday to captain in a special ceremony conducted at the City Council chambers.
Sgt. Daniel Babiarz, 34, has been associated with the FPD since he was a volunteer in the Police Explorer program almost two decades ago. Mayor Ken Tedford said he has known Babiarz for years and is proud of his accomplishments.
“Today is my pleasure to appoint Daniel as police captain,” Tedford told the council members and about 75 other city employees, police officers and Babiarz’s family.
First-term Councilman Paul Harmon said he met with Babiarz during the interview process.
“I thoroughly enjoyed meeting with the future captain,” Harmon said. “I am very comfortable with your (Tedford’s) comments on who you chose to put into this position.”
Babiarz said the promotion to captain occurred sooner than he expected.
“I prepared myself to fill this position and shoes of responsibility,” Babiarz said. “I’m excited to move forward and do the best job I can.”
As a teenager, Babiarz began to develop a strong interest in law enforcement and decided he would eventually pursue a career in public service.
As a senior at Churchill County High School, Babiarz became an intern with FPD, and in 2007, he was hired as a full-time police service assistant in dispatch, the front office and support operation.
Babiarz continued to advance in his career. As a 20-year-old, he attended the Nevada Peace Officer Standards and Training Basic Academy, but he was formally sworn is as a 21-year-old.
“I had to drive to Carson City while he was still in the academy,” Tedford said about administering the oath to Babiarz.
Babiarz graduated from the academy by earning the top academic awards as well as others from his academy class.
During his early years as a police officer, Babiarz was a patrol officer and detective, and in 2016, he was promoted to patrol sergeant. He transferred back to the detective division in 2022 where he became the detective sergeant. He supervised detectives assigned to the investigation division, school resource officers, police service assistants and Volunteers in Police Service program.
Babiarz said he has grown to love the police department, employees, the staff and officers.
“They are very driven people,” he said.
Babiarz has earned an associate’s degree in criminal justice, and he’s currently working toward his bachelor’s degree in businesses administration and management.
His professional achievements include obtaining basic, intermediate, advanced and supervisory POST certificates and maintaining his advanced emergency medical technician certification.
Babiarz is married to Taviana, and they have two children.