City of Marietta, GA
07/18/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 07/18/2024 14:02
The Marietta Police Department Hosts Pinning Ceremony for Six Newly Promoted Officers
July 18, 2024
CONTACT: Chuck McPhilamy
Public Information Officer, Marietta Police Department
770.794.5370
MARIETTA - The Marietta Police Department hosted a promotional pinning ceremony yesterday, July 17, 2024, at 9:00 AM for friends, family, and coworkers of the six newly promoted staff. Roughly (125) gathered to celebrate the new promotions, with the ceremony being led by MPD Chief Beam and MPD Deputy Chief Twaddell. We are honored to announce the promotions of Sergeants Mordarski and Conklin, Lieutenants Liedke and Foster, Major Mixon, and Deputy Chief Rutland. Chief Beam thanked the family members for supporting their loved ones, and the promotees for their hard work and dedication to serving our community. Each member promoted was pinned with their new badge by a family member of their choosing. Following is a biographical sketch of each of our new promotees:
Sergeant Mordarski
Sergeant Mordarski has been with the Marietta Police Department for over twenty years. Prior to starting his career here, he earned his associate and bachelor's degrees in criminal justice from Cameron University in Lawton, Oklahoma. During his time in college, Sergeant Mordarski worked as a jailer in a regional juvenile detention center. Sergeant Mordarski then worked as a patrol officer for the Sierra Vista, Arizona police department for four years prior to relocating back to Georgia in 2003. During his time on patrol with MPD, he worked on both evening watch and day watch. Sergeant Mordarski served as a field training officer for several year prior to being selected to work in the training unit. While in the training unit, Sergeant Mordarski has been a senior instructor, firearms instructor, use of force instructor, taser instructor, ALERRT instructor and earned his state Supervisory Certificate in 2015. Sergeant Mordarski also took on the role of FTO coordinator where he was responsible for coordinating and teaching over (200) recruit officers their MPD post academy classes.
Sergeant Conklin
Sergeant Conklin has been an officer with the Marietta Police Department for nine years. Before starting his policing career, he attended Kennesaw State University where he obtained a bachelor's degree in criminal justice. He is currently working on a master's degree in criminal justice administration through Columbia Southern University. As a patrolman Sergeant Conklin, served as a field training officer and was a member of the Gang Liaison Program. In 2018, he joined the SWAT team and continues serve with the team today. In 2022, he transferred to the investigative services division as a Task Force Officer with the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Gang and Violent Crime Squad. Sergeant Conklin has received numerous awards throughout his career to include the Distinguished Service Award for Combatting Drug Trafficking and Criminal Street Gangs, the Cobb County Law Enforcement Association Performance Award for Criminal Street Gangs, and an additional Distinguished Service Award for a homicide investigation leading to the arrest of three gang members.
Lieutenant Liedke
Lieutenant Liedke began his career with the Marietta Police Department in 2001 and was assigned to Evening Watch. In 2003 he joined the MPD SWAT team and dayshift as an FTO. In 2006, he transferred to the Bike Unit where he had the unique opportunity under Chief Flynn to rename the Bike Unit to the Community Response Unit (CRU). While on CRU, he led and organized various programs to include the Police Explorers, Citizens Academy, COPS Areas, volunteer program and the Crime Free Housing program. While serving in CRU, he became an instructor and in 2009, he transferred to the Training Unit where he earned multiple instructor certifications to include the Cooper Institute of fitness instructor certificate, Firearms IT, Defensive Tactics IT, and Health and Wellness IT. In June of 2012, he was promoted to sergeant and supervised Evening Watch and Morning Watch. In 2013, Lieutenant Liedke was selected to supervise CIU and K9, a position which he held for 11 years. During that time, CIU implemented the K9 apprehension program, purpose built K9 vehicles, and conducted short- and long-term complex narcotics investigations yielding over 2,000 arrests. In 2023, he earned a purple belt in Brazilian jiu jitsu and remains an active firearms and defensive tactics instructor. In 2023 he completed a bachelor's degree. In 2024 Lieutenant Liedke, stepped into an SRO supervisory role at Marietta High School, Marietta Middle School, and the alternative school, while continuing to supervise CIU, K9 and SWAT. His SWAT career covers 21 years where he has served on the perimeter team, entry team, sniper team, team leader, sergeant, and certified explosive breacher.
Lieutenant Foster
Lieutenant Foster joined the Marietta Police Department in April of 1995. Since that time, he has served as a patrol officer, a detective working homicide and crimes against children. He spent seven years on the SWAT team, as well as supervised the traffic unit (STEP.) and Community Response Unit (CRU). In 2016, he went back to investigations supervising person crimes until his recent promotion. In addition, he served as an Internal Affairs Investigator. During his tenure in CRU, he began the first Pastor's Police Academy (PPA) to reach community leaders during the troubled times of the Ferguson, Missouri riots. The PPA was favorably accepted, particularly in the African American community, where pastors and church leaders built strong ties with the Chief of Police and Senior Command Staff. Lieutenant Foster has a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Columbia Southern University. He is a graduate of the Dale Carnegie Leadership Program. He has received two Distinguished Service Awards and a Difference Maker Award presented by the Chief of Police for excellence.
Major Mixon
Since 2006 Major Mixon has held multiple positions within his department and been promoted on three separate occasions. Before being promoted he was a Lieutenant, SWAT Commander, and assigned to Technology Management. In that role he was responsible for all current and future technological advances of the Department. He has supervised our Training Unit, our Property and Evidence Division, and all critical and crisis scenarios when SWAT was utilized. Major Mixon has written policies, proposals, and research studies on various topics related to law enforcement such as a directive for dealing with direct and indirect threats that was adopted by Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police. Major Mixon has been published in NTOA Tactical Edge, completed FBI- LEEDS Executive Development Seminar, and has a participated in multiple NW3C (National White-Collar Crime) certification courses. Major Mixon has a bachelor's degree from Auburn University, and a master's degree from Columbus State University. He is also a graduate from School of Police Staff and Command from Northwestern University.
Deputy Chief Rutland
Deputy Chief Justin Rutland has been with the Marietta Police Department for eighteen years. He came to the department after serving as a deputy with the Cobb County Sheriff's Office for approximately 2 years and the United States Marine Corps prior to that. In the Marietta Police Department, he has served as a patrol officer on Evening Watch and as a traffic enforcement officer on the STEP unit. After being promoted to Sergeant in 2012, Justin worked on Evening Watch and later in the Investigative Services Division as a Detective Sergeant. Justin was promoted to Lieutenant in 2016 and was assigned in the Support Services Division as the Technology Manager, Accreditation Supervisor, and Internal Affairs Investigator in the Office of Professional Standards. Additionally, during these first eleven years with the Marietta Police Department, Justin served at various positions on the Department's SWAT Team to include Police Counter Sniper, Team Supervisor, and ultimately Team Commander. In late 2018 Justin was transferred to command the Investigative Services Division as a Detective Lieutenant. In 2021 Justin was promoted to the rank of Major. He served as the Uniform Patrol Day Watch Commander and CRU/STEP Commander until being transferred to a newly created position in Support Services in late 2022. Justin holds a bachelor's degree from Kennesaw State University and a master's degree from Columbus State University. He is also a graduate of the FBI National Academy, PERF's Senior Management Institute for Police, and UGA Carl Vinson Institute of Government.