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Hire brings police officer ranks to 69 with five vacancies
new officer
Former Manteca Police Department Community Service Officer Ezequiel Diaz, front, walks into his POST Academy graduation last week at Stockton’s Delta College. Immediately upon graduating Diaz was hired by Manteca Police Chief Mike Aguilar and will begin his field training program soon.

The Manteca Police Department has a new officer.

But he’s not a new face around the department or on the streets of the City of Manteca.

Former Community Service Officer Ezequiel Diaz – who spent four years in the position before deciding to fund his own training as a candidate at the Delta College POST Academy – was sworn in by Manteca Police Chief Mike Aguilar after he formally graduated from the Academy.

“Over the past nine months, Officer Diaz has been working full-time for our Department while attending an extended Academy. He put himself through the Academy in hopes that he would be picked up by MPD,” the agency said in a release announcing Diaz’ hire. “The hard work paid off and Officer Diaz was sworn in as a Manteca Police Officer by Chief Aguilar at the Academy graduation.

“We’re proud of his hard work and dedication and look forward to working with him over the course of his career.”

Now that he is officially part of the department as a sworn officer Diaz will begin his field training program – where he will be paired with a training officer and over a four to six-month period graded daily on his progress and his ability to succeed as a solo officer.  

The department said that the time is “stressful” for young officers, but necessary in developing the “tools necessary to do the job safety and ethically.”

The City of Manteca is currently looking to hire a Community Service Officer that would likely replace Diaz – posting the job assignment online two weeks ago. Those serving in the position are tasked with responding “to minor crime and accident scenes, emergency situations and other request for assistance while also conducting routine investigations complete with interviews of witness.

The city’s Community Resource Officers also prepare investigations and provide general support in a variety of other ways according to the recent job posting.

With Diaz’ hiring the Manteca Police Department now has 69 sworn officers and is currently in the middle of a hiring push to bring the department back to full staffing with a total of 74 police officers – largely replacing the positions that were lost to retirement recently. To contact reporter Jason Campbell email jcampbell@mantecabulletin.com or call 209.249.3544.