DPD promotes three officers

More than 75 family members, friends, city officials and law enforcement personnel from Demopolis and surrounding counties gathered in the Municipal Courtroom Sunday afternoon to witness the promotion of three members of the Demopolis Police Department.

Officer Don Johnson now is a sergeant, and Sgts. Rex Flowers and Tim Soronen became lieutenants at the 3 p.m. ceremony.

Their promotions came after several rigorous months of preparation and testing for their new ranks, an ordeal they all admitted to be glad to have behind them.

“I feel like I’ve won the Grammy,” said Flowers.

Johnson, whose new rank was pinned on by April Moore, has been with the DPD for six of his nine years in law enforcement. He has served as a patrolman, acting shift supervisor and assisted with the Criminal Investigation Division (CID) as a crime scene technician. Johnson is a member of the Police, Fire & Honor Guard and of Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT).

Flowers, now assigned to the Patrol Division, has six years of supervisor experience as a Patrol Sergeant in his 20 years with the department. His mother, Karen Glass, pinned on his new rank.

Soronen started with the DPD in 1997. Among his duties have been Patrol, Narcotics and Criminal Investigations and the Cyber Crime Unit. His current assignment is to the CID as a Detective Sergeant/CID Supervisor. His wife Melanie pinned on his new rank.

Chief Tommie Reese presided over the ceremony, which included remarks by Mayor Mike Grayson, city councilmen and Scott Stevens, pastor of Fairhaven Baptist Church.