Veteran Fallon Officer and Local Grad Selected as New Police Chief

Daniel Babiarz, an 18-year veteran of the Fallon Police Department, was sworn in as chief of police at a special City Council meeting on July 16. The council chambers were filled with Babiarz’s family, extended family, and coworkers from the department and City Hall.

Mayor Ken Tedford appointed Babiarz, and the council voted unanimously to confirm the appointment. Tedford gave a brief recap of Babiarz’s background, noting he was born in Chicago and moved to Fallon as a child in 1997. Tedford said he has known Babiarz since Babiarz was a 14-year-old student, starting with the police department’s Explorer Program.

“He knew he wanted to dedicate himself to service,” Tedford said.

Babiarz started working for the Fallon Police Department in 2007 as a police support assistant, the same year he graduated from Churchill County High School. Two years later, he graduated from the Nevada Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) academy and was hired as a patrol officer in Fallon. He progressed through the ranks at the department and later served in the detective division, where he was promoted to sergeant in 2016 and then to captain in 2023. He also earned his Basic, Intermediate, Advanced, Supervisory, and Management POST certificates, holds an Advanced EMT certification, and has an Associate Degree in Criminal Justice, as well as a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration Management.

Tedford said he’s grown to know Babiarz as an unassuming leader who isn’t out for personal recognition.

“Daniel is a humble person who deflects accomplishments to those around him, rather than focusing on himself. He is thoughtful in his decision making, both in his personal life and his professional life. He is a critical thinker, which I really appreciate. He is of the finest character and morals. All the above will make him a great police chief, for the citizens of Fallon,” Tedford said.

“I’m impressed with your record of service,” Councilwoman Kelly Frost said as council members affirmed their support of Tedford’s selection of Babiarz as chief. A member of his extended family spoke up, saying that Babiarz’s parents, who had both passed away, would be very proud of him.

Former Police Chief Ron Wenger, who served in the role for three years, is retiring after a lengthy career in policing. He began his law enforcement career during his service in the U.S. Coast Guard at the Soda Lake Loran Station. During that time, he was accepted into the Fallon Police Reserve Program, and after completing his Coast Guard enlistment, was hired as a full-time Fallon patrol officer. Wenger left that position due to a family illness but returned to Fallon six years later and rejoined the police department. He served as a corporal in the detective division, as a patrol sergeant, and was named captain in March 2023.

“I have had a great working relationship with Ron, not just for those three years, but for his entire 36 years of his outstanding police career,” Tedford said. “He has been very professional and very loyal to his men and the City of Fallon. I will miss him, and I wish him and Katrena well. I am glad they will be members of our community in retirement.”

Tedford said that since the City of Fallon’s founding in 1908, all police chiefs have been promoted from within the department, with the exception of three chiefs.