Ceres Police Department has hired a new officer in Lydia Prieto.

She has 14 years of law enforcement as a deputy with the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Department.

Lydia began her employment in Ceres on Oct. 11. She was born and raised in Modesto and Ceres and attended Don Pedro Elementary School and Blaker Kinser Jr. High. A graduate of Beyer High School, Prieto earned her bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from California State University, Stanislaus. She homeschools her two children, aged 5 and 8.

She enjoys being active with her kids, including dancing beside them in their Folklorico dance group, biking, hiking, paddle boarding and swimming during the summer and snow skiing during the winter.