Sheriff’s office hires new officer, will serve as community liaison

Starting Dec. 1, the Madera County Sheriff’s Office has a new officer who will serve as the proverbial face of the department by being a liaison to the community and attending events to support the efforts of county law enforcement.

Kayla Serratto graduated in August from Stanislaus State with a major in criminal justice and a concentration in law enforcement. She said she’s ready to serve Madera County as the sheriff’s community service officer.

“I’m excited to work for this community and be able to serve law enforcement, which is something I’m really passionate about,” said Serratto, who interned with the Turlock Police Department for a year before taking the new job. “I can’t wait to work with them, get to know them, to know what their concerns and interests are, and to see how I can better serve both them, the public, as well as the sheriff’s department so we can all come together cohesively as a community.”

Sheriff’s Cmdr. Tyson Pogue said Serratto, though not an armed officer, would perform many crime prevention tasks, such as organizing neighborhood watches and working on after-school activities for drug deterrent programs, or attending community events.

“We are excited to welcome CSO Serratto to the team,” Pogue said. “She brings with her some great experience and a very outgoing and engaging personality ... we think she is going to be a great asset to the Sheriff’s Office and to the community.”

Serratto will primarily serve out of the Sheriff’s Office location in Madera, but will regularly spend time in the mountain area, Pogue said.