By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Two patrol officers join Ceres Police Department
IMG 5852
New patrol officer Matthew Berlier and Daniel Graziose have been hired by Ceres Police Department. They watched last week as Brent Smith was sworn in as the new police chief.

Brent Smith as chief is not the only thing new in the Ceres Police Department.

Among the uniformed officers gathered for the swearing-in of the new police chief on Tuesday, Feb. 17 were new patrol officer Matthew Berlier and Daniel Graziose.

Both new hires replace officers who left the department for better pay elsewhere in the region.

Graziose, 44, spent 11 years in the U.S. Army prior to entering law enforcement. For the past decade he has been a deputy with the Tuolumne County Sheriff's Department. He has worked assignments in SWAT, K-9 and as a field training officer. Prior to coming to Tuolumne County he worked in Tennessee as a sheriff deputy for Tipton County. Dan currently is active in the U.S. Army Reserves.

Officer Graziose has two daughters, ages 10 and 19.

Officer Matthew Berlier, 31, comes to Ceres from the Chowchilla Police Department where he worked as a police officer for two years and three months. He previously worked for the Merced Sheriff Department as a sheriff's deputy. His prior military experience includes five years in the U.S. Navy where he worked in the military police.

Matt has a six-year-old daughter.