During the Ocala City Council meeting that was held on Tuesday, six police officers were recognized for their many years of service and commitment to keeping the citizens of Ocala safe.
15 years of service
Two Ocala Police Department officers, Sgt. Jon McDonald and Sgt. David Rodriguez, were recognized by city council members for reaching their 15-year milestone.
Sgt. McDonald began his OPD career in 2008 as a patrol officer. He later advanced and became a detective, investigating property and major crimes. A decade later, in 2018, he was promoted to the rank of sergeant where he worked within the Office of Professional Standards, and he later oversaw the traffic unit.
In addition, McDonald serves as a hostage negotiator and is a member of OPD’s rifle team, which entails performing ceremonial duties such as the 21-gun salute.
When McDonald is off-duty, he enjoys traveling with his wife, and they are expecting the arrival of their first child in December.
Sgt. Rodriguez kicked off his law enforcement career in 2006 as a patrol deputy with the Levy County Sheriff’s Office. Two years later, he transferred to OPD, and he joined the K-9 unit in 2010. During his five years with that unit, he partnered with two dogs, Dozer and Zorba.
Rodriguez eventually transferred to the Directed Patrol Unit to address violent crime, and he then became a detective in the Investigative Services Bureau, where he worked on major crimes, property crimes, and intelligence cases. He was then promoted to sergeant in 2019, and he also became a supervisor in the Community Policing Bureau.
In addition, Rodriguez is a polygraph examiner, and he served on the SWAT team for three years. He is also an instructor for OPD and specializes in general policing, defensive tactics, and firearms training.
20 years of service
Det. Mary Williams was recognized during Tuesday’s city council meeting for her 20 years of service to OPD.
Williams began her career with OPD in 2003, and she was immediately assigned to the drug unit. Within six weeks, her undercover efforts led to the arrest of 30 individuals, which earned her a commendation. After nearly a decade in patrol, she became a district service officer in 2012.
In 2016, Williams became a detective and was assigned to the property crimes division. She later transferred to the major crimes division and worked on cases that included homicides, robberies, sexual batteries, and crimes against children.
Last year, Williams returned to the property crimes division, which is her current assignment.
25 years of service
Three OPD officers, Lt. Eric Hooper, Sgt. Shawn Minucci, and Sgt. Dan Wright, were also recognized by city council members for their 25 years of service to the police department.
Lt. Hooper joined OPD in 1998 as a patrol officer, and he quickly joined the department’s Honor Guard unit, which he served on for 22 years. In 2007, he was promoted to sergeant and served in units including Patrol, Bike, Special Deployment, and Traffic.
In 2020, Hooper was promoted to lieutenant, and he served as a watch commander in the patrol division. He currently oversees the School Resource Officers in the Special Operations Bureau.
Outside of work, Hooper enjoys spending time with his wife and two daughters, working on their farm, and collecting antique cars.
Sgt. Minucci started his OPD career in 1998 as a patrol officer in the Community Policing Bureau. He spent 19 of his 25 years doing investigative work as a detective, a detective sergeant, and currently as the sergeant of the Special Deployment Unit which addresses street crimes.
In addition, Minucci has been a resolute member of the SWAT team for 22 years. He is also an avid runner, and he ran in this year’s Boston Marathon.
Sgt. Wright joined OPD in 1998 as a 9-1-1 dispatcher. When he became a sworn police officer, he served in the Community Policing Bureau as a patrol officer and field training officer.
A majority of Wright’s law enforcement career was spent in the Traffic unit as a Motor Officer, an Impaired Driving Enforcement Officer, and a Traffic Homicide Investigator, and he amassed numerous impaired driving arrests.
Wright notably became Marion County’s first Certified Drug Recognition Expert, and he worked to develop and expand the program within the county. He is currently a patrol sergeant on the midnight shift with the Community Policing Bureau.
When he is not in uniform, Wright is a husband and enjoys restoring classic cars and hot rods in his free time.
In a social media post, the Ocala Police Department stated, “Congratulations and thank you, Lt. Hooper, Sgt. Minucci, Sgt. Wright, Sgt. McDonald, Sgt. Rodriguez, and Det. Williams, for all your years of exemplary service! Thank you for keeping the City of Ocala safe!”