Wenatchee police begin 2026 with promotions, new hires

WENATCHEE — The Wenatchee Police Department is beginning 2026 with a wave of promotions, new hires, and a staffing outlook that Police Chief Edgar Reinfeld told the City Council reflects steady progress after several years of rebuilding.

Reinfeld told councilmembers on January 8 that four promotions were completed in late December, including two promotions to sergeant and two to corporal. Albert Gonzalez and Miguel Ruiz were promoted from corporal to sergeant and are now each assigned to patrol shifts, while Caleb Aumell and Andrew Wilson were promoted from officer to corporal and are already working in their new roles.

He said the department also welcomed a new recruit and a new civilian staff member this month. Anthony Castro, a 22-year-old recruit from Tonasket, started Jan. 5 and will head to the Basic Law Enforcement Academy in Pasco in early February. The department also hired Giselle Rodriguez as a records assistant, a position Reinfeld described to council as “one of our next-to-hardest positions to fill.”

Reinfeld said Rodriguez is expected to spend about two months in training, after which the department plans to return to five days a week of walk-up service at the records window, which is currently closed on Mondays to allow staff to focus on training.

On the civilian side, Reinfeld said the department is now fully staffed, with 13 of 13 professional staff positions filled. On the sworn side, the department currently has 43 officers out of 48 authorized positions.

“Our intent is to hire six this year,” Reinfeld told council, noting that two retirements are expected but that the department already has a lateral candidate from Enumclaw in the background-check process, with a provisional start date of March 2 if that process is completed successfully.

If hiring proceeds as planned, Reinfeld said the department hopes to end the year with at least 46 officers on the books, with 44 or more fully trained and qualified.

Mayor Mike Poirier noted during the discussion that when Reinfeld first took over as chief, staffing levels soon dropped sharply, at one point reaching 38 officers. Poirier said the city’s goal for the end of 2025 had been 45 officers, and while a late-year retirement left the department at 44, he said the overall direction has been encouraging.

Reinfeld agreed, telling councilmembers the department is “right where we want to be right now,” while also cautioning that recruiting always carries uncertainty, especially early in the year. “It is eight days into the year,” he added, underscoring that the department is still in the early stages of its 2026 hiring plan.

For now, city leaders framed the promotions and new hires as signs of a department that is stabilizing, rebuilding experience in its ranks, and positioning itself to meet Wenatchee’s public safety needs more consistently in the year ahead.

Andrew Simpson: 509-433-7626 or andrew@ward.media