TPD Patrol Division East Newsletter - September 2024

Captain Belinda Morales
Operations Division East

September 2024

New Lieutenants in ODE

I am extremely pleased to introduce our new lieutenants in Operations Division East. Lieutenant Al Baca (top photo) and Lieutenant Jesse Chamberlain (bottom photo) both started in ODE on July 28, 2024.

Lieutenant Baca has been in the department for sixteen years and comes from Operations Division South, where he successfully implemented a number of initiatives and projects.

Lieutenant Chamberlain is a twenty-four-year department member who brings a vast amount of knowledge and perspective to our division.

ODE is extremely lucky to have these two commanders on our team, working toward a safe and vibrant community.

Lieutenant Albert Baca was raised in Tucson, where he attended middle school on the city's South Side and graduated from Tucson High School in the class of 1998.

He began his career with the Tucson Police Department in 2008, working in Operations Division Midtown and serving as a lead police officer and field training officer. In January 2015, he was promoted to sergeant, overseeing a patrol squad in the Downtown District. His leadership skills led him to the Specialized Response Division in 2018, where he supervised the TPD Hostage Negotiations and Rapid Response Teams.

In May 2023, Lieutenant Baca was promoted to his current rank and initially assigned to Operations Division South, where he successfully managed personnel and implemented programs benefiting local businesses and area schools. Recently, he was reassigned to Operations Division East, where he is eager to continue fostering strong partnerships with community members, businesses, and schools.

Lieutenant Baca holds an Associate of Applied Science degree in law enforcement and is dedicated to serving the Tucson community with integrity and commitment.

Lt. Jesse Chamberlain was born and raised in Tucson, AZ, and is a 1996 graduate of Sahuaro High School.

He joined the Tucson Police Department in April 2000 after serving in the United States Army for three years. During his tenure in the department, Lt. Chamberlain has worked in Operations Division South and Operations Division East as a patrol officer. He also spent five years working as an officer in the Gang Tactical Unit. He was promoted to sergeant in 2012 and supervised a patrol squad in the Downtown Division. For the past nine years, and before being promoted to lieutenant, he supervised the Narcotics Interdiction Unit at the Counter Narcotics Alliance and was a Drug Enforcement Agency Task Force officer.

He was promoted to lieutenant in July of this year and looks forward to working with the residents and businesses in Operations Division East.

Lt. Chamberlain holds a B.S. degree in public safety administration, and an M.S. degree in public administration with an emphasis on government and policy from Grand Canyon University.

This month’s officer highlight goes to Officer Jeffrey Lyons.

Jeff is a 15-year veteran with the Tucson Police Department. He has been a reliable resource and mentor for officers and CSOs in his squad. Jeff is also a field training officer and imparts his knowledge to these newer officers.

Jeff does not shy away from any call for service or investigation and will regularly volunteer for calls that others’ sensibilities may or may not be able to handle.

After 15 years, Jeff is still genuinely happy and has a positive attitude when he comes to work. Keep up the good work!

Air conditioner metal theft is dangerous and frustrating.

Dangerous because people are left without cooling during dangerously hot weather and frustrating because victims' losses are so much greater than the paltry amounts thieves gain.

AC units and heat pumps are targeted for the copper they contain, which metal thieves sell to metal recyclers.

There are several ways to discourage this theft.

• Keep the unit visible by you, your neighbors, and passersby. Remove bushes or screens that would give the thief a place to hide while he works.
• If the unit is on a roof, remove any ladders that would provide access.
• Fence the property and lock the gate.
• Install a locked metal cage around the unit.
• Lock the unit's power supply with a strong lock.
• Talk to your vendor about including the unit in your alarm system.