During the Village of Homer’s Board of Trustees meeting Tuesday evening, Homer Police Chief Bob Pitman was in attendance along with Officer Kevin Soderholm, who will be promoted to the department’s part-time sergeant.
The board voted unanimously to approve Soderholm’s promotion to Sergeant during their meeting.
“He’s retired from the Syracuse Police Department and been with me for about five years on a part-time basis. He’s been doing a lot of things helping me out… he’s done a great job.” Chief Pitman said to the board.
Sergeant Soderholm spent twenty years with the City of Syracuse Police Department in road patrol and K9. He began his career with Homer Police as a School Resource Officer in the afternoon shift, which he said gave him the opportunity to spend a lot of time with the athletic students.
“I was able to work with the kids playing sports, help them lift, teach them how to eat [Healthy], work through their life problems and manage [their] time to help them get their homework done and their sports. It was a great opportunity.” Sergeant Soderholm said to X101 News.
He continued to speak on the importance of how welcoming the Homer Community is and the openness he has experienced with residents, which helps his goal of community policing. When asked about if he had any goals now as sergeant:
“I’d like to spend a lot of time out in the community, that’s what I like and why I came back out to the road. I’d like to better our younger officers; more training things like that. Be a good role model for them, because I come with a lot of experience. And by in-large just helping out anyone who needs it. That’s always been my goal in life and it will continue to be no matter what rank I hold.” He continued to say to X101 News.
Deputy Mayor Pat Clune swore in Soderholm later Wednesday morning at the Village Offices.
*Featured Image Courtesy of the Homer Police Department*
