WOODLAND POLICE DEPT. WELCOMES NEW HIRES
Two police officers, one records specialist and one field CSO sworn in
The Woodland Police Department held a swearing-in ceremony for four new employees, including two police officers, one records specialist and one field CSO, earlier this week.
The ceremony — held inside the WPD community room at 1000 Lincoln Ave. — featured select family members, along with a dozen or so Woodland Police Department staff members, as Chief Derrek Kaff introduced each new hire.
Deputy City Clerk Jennifer Robinson then swore in new Community Service Officer Zulema Lopez, records specialist Mariana Chavez, and new police officers Liviu Sirbu and Harshbir Bansal.
“Let’s talk for just a second about what you just did,” Kaff said. “The oath is a public promise to serve with nobility and respect. This is not an easy job in any one of our assignments. You have to make a decision every single day. I expect and the community demands that you do professionally and with respect. You wouldn’t be here if I didn’t believe that was true. Sometimes things happen that are out of our control. Focus on what you can control yourself.”
All new hires filled a vacant position at the Woodland Police Department.
Officer Sirbu
Officer Sirbu was born in Bucharest, Romania, on November 14, 1996, and came to the United States with his parents a few days before turning two years old.
Last year in September, Sirbu married his wife Viktoria and moved together to Citrus Heights.
After graduating high school, Sirbu worked for the same company as his dad as an accounting clerk and later became a buyer for the same company. After working at the company for almost five years, Sirbu applied to the Sacramento Sheriff Academy. He started in December 2019 and graduated in August 2020.
Sirbu and his wife enjoy going on camping trips and spending time at the lake.
“I also want to work for this department because of its size,” Sirbu stated. “I want to work for a department where everyone knows each other and has a stronger comradery. I feel like I can have a positive impact in the department as well as the city of Woodland.”
Officer Bansal
Bansal was born in a small village in Punjab, India, in 1993.
Her family emigrated from India in 1998 to the United States and have since resided in Yuba City. The tight-knit family bond and community allowed her to be fluent in Punjabi, Hindi, and Urdu. She attended her primary school years in Yuba City.
After graduating high school in 2011, she attended a local community college, where she earned her associate’s degree. Harshbir then attended Sacramento State University and earned her bachelor’s degree.
While she studied for her undergraduate degree, she interned at the Sacramento District Attorney’s Office and worked as a CSO for the Sacramento State Police Department for a brief period. After earning her bachelor’s degree, Harshbir attended the Yuba College Modular police academy and has just recently graduated.
While attending the academy, she worked full-time at Rideout Hospital. Currently, Harshbir is working on her master’s degree in Law and Criminology at the University of California, Irvine.
Outside of her professional endeavors, Harshbir is very robust and an active individual. She likes to practice martial arts and is working toward her black belt.
Harshbir is an avid reader, enjoys spending time with her two little nieces, and likes to enjoy the simple things in life as much as she can. Harshbir is eager to be working at the Woodland Police department. She hopes to be a good asset to the department and the community as well.
Lopez was born and raised in Woodland. Growing up, Lopez was involved in raising sheep for Yolo County 4-H, was a member of the Woodland Youth Counsel, and graduated from Pioneer High School.
Lopez attended Woodland Community College where she earned her associate’s degree in law enforcement.
In 2016, Lopez and her husband, Eddie, purchased their first home while starting her studies at Sacramento State University, where she later earned her bachelor’s degree in criminal justice.
In 2020, Lopez attended the police academy and worked with another law enforcement agency prior to coming to work for Woodland Police Department. She is happy to be closer to her family home and be a new member of the Woodland Police Department.
Lopez enjoys spending time with her husband and two German Shepherds, baking, fishing, camping and trail riding in their offroad vehicle. She is excited to join the Woodland Police Department team and has high hopes to expand her knowledge and experience within the department.