Officers Austin Moller and Michael Smiraglia took their oath of office on Jan. 2. From left are Mayor Ken Tedford, Moller, Smiraglia and Police Chief Ron Wegner.
Sara Dowling | NNG
The focus was on the Fallon Police Department during a city council meeting earlier this month when two new officers were sworn to duty.
Officers Michael Smiraglia and Austin Moller officially joined the Fallon Police force following a Jan. 2 swearing-in ceremony officiated by Mayor Ken Tedford.
Moller said it had always been a dream to join the police force. After graduating from Churchill County High School, he started at Western Nevada College as a math major.
“I took one criminal justice class and I just fell in love with it,” Moller said.
That week he switched his major and continued on to receive his bachelor’s degree from the University of Nevada, Reno. Then it was just a matter of waiting for the opportunity to join the FPD.
Smiraglia realized as a teenager that he was interested in law enforcement. He gained some of his experience as an intern through the Fallon Police Explorer program during his senior year of high school. He ran errands, helped to process paperwork and anything else the busy officers needed. He was also able to ride along with officers on patrol and participate in community service.
“It was incredibly fun for me,” he said.
• Fallon Police Chief Ron Wenger also read a summary of the police department activity report for November. The total of 707 reported incidents was up slightly when compared to the 642 calls in November 2022. During traffic stops officers issued 17 moving citations and 117 warnings. Officers also assisted with 10 traffic accidents and the Volunteers in Police Services completed almost 60 service hours.
Special detail included traffic control for a ceremony at the Maine Street fountain, providing an escort to the state championships for the CCHS volleyball team, attending a talent show at Epworth Methodist Church and bowling in a Reno tournament in support of the Special Olympics.
During November the police department had one felony arrest, six felony warrant arrests, one probation and parole arrest, four misdemeanor arrests, eight misdemeanor warrant arrests and nine juvenile misdemeanor arrests.