APD swears in two new officers

The Apopka Police Department added two new officers to its force at a Monday swearing-in ceremony at City Hall. 

Officer Brendan Tomlin, 33, was born in Newport Beach, California, and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada. He graduated from Faith Lutheran High School in 2008. Tomlin is currently working on his college degree and attended California Lutheran University, where he majored in accounting. 

Tomlin was a firearms instructor at Front Site Firearms Training (Nevada) from 2011-2015 and then got into sales at Freedom Firearms (Nevada) from 2015–2021. 

His knowledge, expertise, and leadership helped him receive a well-deserved promotion to assistant manager at Freedom Firearms during his last three years with the company. 

Tomlin’s hobbies include competitive shooting and enjoying the outdoors. He attended the Police Academy at Valencia College School of Public Safety and graduated from the Basic Law Enforcement class of 2022.

“Throughout the years and with all of my interactions with Law Enforcement during training, sales, and competition, it became more and more apparent that a career in Law Enforcement is what I was meant to do," said Tomlin. "It is a future that would allow me to help the citizens, while being the most fulfilled in doing it.”

Officer Ruister Jose Acevedo, aka “RJ or Rooster”, is 24 years old, born in the Bronx, New York. And raised in Apopka. He graduated from Lake Brantley High School in 2017. 

Acevedo is working on his college education at Mars Hill University, where he is seeking a degree in Criminal Justice.

He is engaged and enjoys lifting weights, collecting action figures, and is an assistant defensive line football coach for Tavares High School. Ruister’s prior employment includes Target, where he was a retail associate, as well as a substitute teacher at Tavares High School. 

Acevedo graduated from the Police Academy at Lake Technical College Institute of Public Safety in 2022.  

“My WHY for doing this job is simple," said Acevedo. "I want to see change, and I want to protect the community.” 

APD Officers Amanda Merrill and Kenny Lucas were also sworn in for “Reserve” status in order to keep their state credentials current.