Santa Clara Chief of Police Kevin Kyle recently announced that City Manager Jennifer Sparacino has made promotions within the Santa Clara Police Department.
Lt. Michael Sellers has been promoted to Assistant Police Chief. Sellers was hired as a Santa Clara Police Officer in 1985, after serving for several years as a Police Cadet and Reserve Police Officer. Combined, Sellers has been affiliated with the Santa Clara Police Department for 33 years.
As a Police Officer, Sellers worked several years of on different patrol shifts, having been assigned to the Department’s Special Enforcement Team, the Sexual Assault Felony Enforcement (SAFE) Task Force, and as an undercover narcotics detective. Sellers was promoted to Sergeant in 1997, and then served as supervisor in the Professional Standards Unit, Field Operations Division, Special Enforcement Team and the Specialized Action Crimes Team (SCAT). He was promoted to Lieutenant in 2004 and served as Watch Commander, Reserve Unit Coordinator, and in the Community Services Unit. In 2008, he was promoted to Captain and he commanded both the Field Operations and Administrative Services Divisions. He is a graduate of California State University Long Beach, the Sherman Block Supervisory Institute, and the prestigious FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia.
Lt. Phil Cooke has been promoted to Captain. Cooke was hired as a Santa Clara Police Officer in 1989, serving as a Patrol officer, detective specializing in crimes against property, crimes against persons, undercover narcotics investigations, and as a member of the Crisis Negotiations Team. He was promoted to Sergeant in 2000 and served as a supervisor in the Field Operations and Investigations Divisions. In 2005, he was promoted to Lieutenant. He served as a Watch Commander in Field Operations and the Community Services Unit of the Administrative Services Division, which included being the Department’s Public Information Officer. He is a graduate of the University of Phoenix and FBI National Academy. Cooke’s first assignment will be as Commander the Administrative Services Division.
Sgt. Kurt Clarke has been promoted to Lieutenant. Clarke was hired as a Santa Clara Police Officer in 1993, after five years at the Morgan Hill Police Department. At SCPD, he worked as an officer in the Field Operations Division and as an undercover narcotics investigator. Upon his promotion to Sergeant in 2003, Clarke served as a supervisor in Field Operations and as the Recruiting and Personnel Sergeant in the Professional Standards Unit, also working as the Department’s Public Information Officer. Clarke is a long time member and supervisor of the Crisis Negotiations Team. Since 2008, he has been assigned to Robbery/Homicide in the Investigations Division, where he has worked on several major cases. He is a graduate of California State University at Long Beach. His first assignment will be as a Watch Commander in the Field Operations Division.
The promotions were effective January 8.