QUINCY — The Quincy City Council unanimously approved the upgrade of one police officer position to a sergeant position within the Quincy Police Department at its meeting of Dec. 20.

The council also watched as Police Chief Bob Heimbach swore in the police department’s newest officer at the end of Tuesday’s meeting, which was dominated by police matters.

Heimbach brought the motion regarding the new sergeant position before the Council, noting the police department currently has two sergeants. He believes having a third would be of great benefit.

“This will give us three supervisors on the street with our increasing and still-young police force,” Heimbach said.

The fiscal impact for the city of the upgraded position is $6,100 for increased salary.

Heimbach said there is a specific process he has to follow in deciding who will become the department’s third sergeant. He assured the Council that “all the candidates are qualified.”

Heimbach explained that having a third sergeant will allow the department to have one on duty each shift, so even during the night shifts, “there’s still a supervisor out there to kind of be that voice of reason.”

Councilman Scott Lybbert asked Heimbach what the new sergeant’s workload would look like, between patrol and administrative duties.

“That’s the other nice thing; Having a third sergeant will spread those administrative-type duties more evenly (among the sergeants), so they will have less office time and more patrol time,” Heimbach said.

Lybbert said having a third sergeant would be positive for the police department because it creates promotion opportunities for police officers within the department.

Mayor Jim Hemberry was absent for Tuesday’s meeting. The council unanimously approved the motion.

Toward the end of Tuesday’s meeting, Chief Heimbach swore in Stephanie Valencia-Cruz, the Quincy Police Department’s newest officer, in front of the city Council, city staff and visitors.

Heimbach told the crowd that Valencia-Cruz is an Eastern Washington University graduate, and she excelled in the defensive tactics practical portion of the police academy.

Valencia-Cruz previously worked as a communications deputy for the Okanogan County Sheriff’s Office dispatch.