Tuesday night, Bonney Lake officers Kurt Alfano and James Keller were both sworn in to the office of Assistant Chief of Police.

The swearing in ceremony, presided over by Municipal Judge Ron Heslop, was held at the beginning of the city’s regular city council meeting and attended by police both in and outside BLPD, including Chief Brad Moericke of Sumner. The swearing in was immediately followed by a brief adjournment for congratulations and cake.

Alfano’s and Keller’s promotion marks the first time the city police department has had an assistant chief since Dana Powers was promoted from assistant to interim chief in September 2011.

“All I can say is thank you so much to the city, the council and our staff for seeing the need for these positions,” Powers said shortly after the ceremony. “With the direction our department is going to go, we have some great assistant chiefs to lead us into the future … and a possible future police chief. I extremely appreciate the support from the council, the staff again, the families and our department.”