Six new additions to force

Jose Paul Corona

Six new officers joined the ranks of the Huntington Beach Police

Department.

Richard Backstrom, Kevin Johnson, Richard Zumwalt, Yasha Nikitin,

Jaime Randall and Kendra Wood all graduated from the Golden West College

Basic Police Academy. Nikitin received the Honor Recruit Award for

finishing No. 1 in his class. He was also the recipient of the Lifetime

Fitness Award and the Arrest and Control Techniques Award. Backstrom

received the Director’s Award for Character and was chosen class

president. Four of the six officers placed in the top 10 of new recruits.

All six officers began their field training on July 1.