The Bettendorf Police Department celebrated the addition of six new officers to its force on Friday, Aug. 29, as the city continues its growth in population and geography.
Mayor Bob Gallagher swore in Nikolas Davis, Alexis Sandon, Ashley Acaster, Justin Bowman, Trevor Johnson and Sebastian Villanueva during a ceremony.
“I don’t know if we’ve ever sworn in this many officers at one time,” said Police Chief Doug Scott. “These six individuals have dedicated themselves to a life of service, and we are very honored that they chose Bettendorf as their community to serve.”
Mr. Gallagher added, “This city is very supportive of our first responders, and we thank these six outstanding people for choosing this profession and choosing Bettendorf.”
During the ceremony, each officer took an oath led by the mayor, vowing to support the Constitutions of the United States and the State of Iowa, and to faithfully and impartially discharge their duties as police officers.
The new police chief emphasized the officers’ commitment to public service. “When we applied for this job, each of us was asked the question – Why do you want to be a police officer? And we all answer it the same way – because we want to help people,” he said. “We have all taken an oath and have chosen to live a life of service, and we know we may sacrifice a part of ourselves or all of ourselves to protect and serve others.”
The new officers bring diverse backgrounds to the department:
- Nikolas Davis: A graduate of North Scott High School and Indian Hills Community College, he previously volunteered as a firefighter with the McCausland (Iowa) Fire Department.
- Alexis Sandon: Raised in Yorkville, Illinois, she is a graduate of Western Illinois University.
- Ashley Acaster: A graduate of Pleasant Valley High School and Western Illinois University.
- Justin Bowman: A graduate of Davenport West High School and Scott Community College, Mr. Bowman previously served as a police officer in Oakwood, Georgia.
- Trevor Johnson: A graduate of Pleasant Valley High School and Kirkwood Community College, he served with the U.S. Army’s 75th Ranger Regiment.
- Sebastian Villanueva: A graduate of Alleman High School and St. Ambrose University, Mr. Villanueva is a certified peace officer.
Mr. Davis, Ms. Sandon and Ms. Acaster recently graduated from the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy, a rigorous 16-week training program at Camp Dodge in Johnston, Iowa. Mr. Villanueva completed the same program in August 2024. Mr. Johnson began the academy on Tuesday, Sept. 2. Mr. Bowman, having previously served as a police officer, is not required to re-attend the academy.
All officers will undergo the Bettendorf Police Department’s 16-week field training program, which applies lessons learned at the academy to real-world scenarios under the supervision of a field training officer.
