A home-grown talent has risen in the ranks to Police Lieutenant at the Marana Police Department (MPD). Jeffrey Pridgett received his new badge during a pinning ceremony this week, where he was joined by his colleagues, friends, and family. In addition to his duties carried over from his previous position as Police Sergeant, Pridgett will now act as the Patrol Lieutenant and supervise patrol squads, the Criminal Investigations Unit, and the Counter Narcotics Alliance (CNA).
Lieutenant Pridgett (right) pictured with Chief Terry Rozema (left) at his promotion ceremony.
Pridgett is a familiar face in Marana. Growing up less than two miles from MPD, Pridgett admired the way the officers carried themselves and their ability to help people. He soon became interested in a career in public service.
After graduating from the police academy in February of 2003, Pridgett started working patrol for MPD followed by a year as a School Resource Officer for Marana Unified School District in 2005. He then worked as a motor officer until 2013, when he was promoted to Police Sergeant. Even within that role, Pridgett wore several hats—patrol, training coordinator, and criminal investigations supervisor. In 2019, he moved on to the Office of Professional Standards and took on the role of Public Information Officer, coordinating social media and public outreach for MPD.
That totals 17 years so far with the Marana Police Department, and Pridgett has seen the department evolve quite a bit in that time.
“The biggest change has been within technology,” he said. “Having in-car cameras, body cams, the new indoor range and virtual assistant…it all helps us become better officers and teachers.” Pridgett has been with MPD since they were working out of a triple-wide mobile trailer, a far cry from the state-of-art facility they have now.
Social media has also become a large part of Pridgett’s job. “It gives us a pulse on the community and improves our communication with residents. We can now examine problems that might not be brought directly to us, and it allows us to disseminate information much faster.”
No matter how MPD evolves, one thing stays the same: the culture. The values of quality customer service, positive communication, and forward momentum that attracted Pridgett to MPD are the guiding principles he maintains for the future.
“Day in and day out, he represents this profession,” said Police Chief Terry Rozema. “The way he treats people with respect, his ability to have confidence with humility, the passion he has for this profession shows that he cares about this community more than he cares about himself.”
This is a goal Lieutenant Pridgett has been working towards for a long time, and his future continues to look bright. On receiving his promotion, Pridgett said, “It’s an honor to grow up here and then serve my community in this way. I can’t see myself living anywhere else.”
