Assistant Police Chiefs

Assistant Chief Ed Turas

Turas cropped 2Assistant Chief Turas is responsible for GPD’s Support Operations, which includes the Criminal Investigations Division consisting of Detectives, Juvenile Investigations and the Identification Bureau. Support Operations also includes the Special Investigations Division, which provides investigations into vice-narcotics and organized crime with a focus on drug trafficking, public corruption and Homeland Security. He is also Commander of the Special Situations Unit which includes SWAT, the Bomb Squad, Crisis Negotiators, Mobile Field Force, and the Mobile Command,

Assistant Chief Turas joined the GPD in 1998 after serving for eight years as a paramedic. He has commanded the Patrol Division, Criminal Investigations Division, Special Investigations Division, and the Administrative Services Budget and Finance. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Creative Arts from UNC-Charlotte, a masters in Justice Administration from Methodist University, and the State of North Carolina’s Advanced Law Enforcement Certificate.

He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy, the FBI and US Army Hazardous Devices School, West Point Leadership Program, and the Gaston Regional Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Gaston. He serves a board member with the Gaston Controlled Substance Committee, the Treatment Linkages Committee, and is a steering committee advocate for the Family Justice Center. He is a co-founder of the Pink Patch Project. He also serves as a professor of Criminal Justice Studies at Gardner-Webb University and Gaston College, and as a program director for the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

Contact Information:

Gastonia Police Department
(P.O. Box 1748 Gastonia, NC 28052-1748)
704.866.6889

 

Assistant Chief Trent Conard
Assistant Chief Conard 3Assistant Chief Conard is in charge of Field Services, which includes all uniformed officers in Patrol, the Street Crimes Unit and the Traffic Bureau. Patrol officers provide the department’s first response to police calls for service in the East, West and Central Districts. The Street Crimes Unit addresses problems such as an environment of violence, community disorder or nuisances that persist after numerous calls for police service. The Traffic Bureau handles traffic accident investigations and enforcement. He also oversees the Special Situations Unit which includes SWAT, the Bomb Squad, Hostage Negotiators, and Tactical Team/Field Force officers.
 
Assistant Chief Conard joined the GPD in 1996 and his service with the GPD includes being Commander of the Patrol Division, Commander of the Criminal Investigations Division, and Commander of the Special Situations Unit which includes SWAT, the Bomb Squad, Crisis Negotiators, Mobile Field Force, and the Mobile Command. He was responsible for creating and implementing the Police Training Officer training program for the GPD in 2005. Since the program was implemented over 170 officers have been trained in the improved program.
 
He holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Montreat College and the State of North Carolina’s Advanced Law Enforcement Certificate. He is a graduate of the West Point Leadership Program, and the Gaston Regional Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Gaston. He is a North Carolina certified instructor and nationally certified Problem Based Learning instructor. He is a past Board Member of the Shelter of Gaston County and a current Board Member with the Salvation Army and Keep Gastonia Beautiful.
 
Contact Information:
Gastonia Police Department
(P.O. Box 1748 Gastonia, NC 28052-1748)
704.866.6881

 

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