Sergeant Tony Alfaro—a 20-year veteran of the Chesterton Police Department’s Patrol Division—will be leaving the street early in 2025 to begin his new assignment as a School Resource Officer (SRO) at Liberty Intermediate/Middle School, the Chesterton Police Department announced on Facebook.
“He’s great with kids and he’s the right kind of person to take that position,” Police Chief Tim Richardson told the Police Commission at its meeting Thursday evening, Dec. 12.
“I am honored to be assigned to the role of SRO for the Duneland School Corporation,” Alfaro said. “I grew up in this fantastic school district and attended Liberty Middle School. As a graduate of CHS, I am looking forward to making a positive impact on the students at Liberty Middle/Intermediate Schools and I can’t wait to start my new assignment there.”
Alfaro will be the sixth CPD officer tasked to SRO duty, after the Porter County Sheriff Jeff Balon was forced by staffing concerns to reassign the Sheriff’s Department’s own SRO from LIS.
Alfaro will be joining the SRO team made up of:
*Lt. Joe Christian: Brummitt, Liberty, and Jackson elementary schools.
*Sgt. Chris Swickard: Chesterton High School.
*Cpl. Jacob Ray: Westchester Intermediate/Middle School.
*Officer Adam Alicea: Bailly, Brummitt, and Yost elementary schools.
*Officer Shauna Jesse: Chesterton High School.
Richardson reported that the emergency hiring process begun to backfill Alfaro’s spot in the Patrol Division is proceeding and that he should have a shortlist of candidates to interview early in the New Year.
Additional details on this story can be found on the Chesterton Police Department Facebook page.