Crime & Safety
Latta Takes Over as Interim Fire Chief
A change of command and badge-pinning ceremony was held July 1 for the Roseville Fire Department. Twenty people were promoted or welcomed to the department.
Former Roseville Interim Fire Chief Dean Grundy transferred command to Interim Fire Chief Wynn Latta during a ceremony Friday at the Roseville High School theater. In addition, almost 20 other men were formally promoted or welcomed to the .
Latta, a former Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District deputy chief, joins the department after a short retirement. The Rocklin resident began his fire career in 1979. His first day with the Roseville Fire Department was July 5.
Grundy served as chief for about seven months, but was with the department for 26 years.
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“He will be dearly missed in the city and in the department,” Latta said.
The evening also served as a promotion and badge-pinning ceremony for employees.
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“We’re here and we’re hiring and promoting,” Mayor Pauline Roccucci told the crowd. “This is one of the most important things we can give the community.”
The pinning ceremony consisted of the passing of the badge through elected officials and the chain of command to the chief. Employees had a friend or family member pin the badge onto their uniform.
Assistant City Manager Russ Branson said the event was a “celebration of careers. (Careers) completing … careers extending … careers progressing … and for those careers just starting. Thank you for your willingness to serve.”
The Roseville Fire Department employees recognized were:
- Wynn Latta – interim chief
- Jeff Carman – assistant chief of operations
- Robert Arnett – senior fire inspector
- Derek Carey – fire captain
- Matthew Lauchner – fire captain
- John Nail – fire captain
- Gregory Pote – fire captain
- Dustin DePaoli – fire engineer
- Dave Killmer – fire engineer
- Paul McGuire – fire engineer
- Jordan Paul – fire engineer
- Eric Sanchez – fire engineer
- Patrick Shannon – fire engineer
- George Titus – fire engineer
- Ryan Williams – fire engineer
- Michael Collins – firefighter paramedic
- Paul Doerr – firefighter paramedic
- Austin Kimbrell – firefighter paramedic
- Austin Merritt – firefighter paramedic
- Matthew Raby – firefighter paramedic
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