Police / Fire

Hollister Police to hire additional officer

State funding to pay for officer who will work with probation department to check compliance of registered sex offenders and gang members
hpd new logo.jpg
hpd new logo.jpg

The Hollister Police Department will add an officer to its ranks with funding from Assembly Bill 109, a state-sponsored effort approved in 2011 in which newly-convicted low-level offenders without current or prior serious or violent offenses stay in county jail to serve their sentence.

Police Chief David Westrick said the officer will work with the probation department and be assigned to UNET (United Narcotics Enforcement Team.) The Community Corrections Partnership of San Benito County authorized by vote the addition of the officer, as well as overtime of up to 15 percent of the total $161,000 compensation for the position.

The officer will be responsible in part for compliance tracking, to include registered sex offenders and registered gang members. The city council unanimously approved a resolution authorizing Westrick to hire a new police officer as part of the program.

Adam Breen

Adam Breen has been a San Benito County resident since 1980 and graduated from Sacred Heart School and San Benito High School before earning a bachelor's degree from California State University, Fresno. A father of two sons, Adam has taught newspaper, English and yearbook at SBHS for the past decade, after six years as a magazine editor for Santa Clara University. He previously was editor of the Hollister Free Lance and content director for BenitoLink.