Top left, (l-r) Adam Tondreau with his father, retired Officer Maurice (Moe) Tondreau pinning his badge. Top right (l-r), Adam and Moe Tondreau. Below, Officers Mark (Jr.) and Bobby Rhoades, proud Sergeant Mark Rhoades (Sr.) and Curtis Rhoades.
By Mark Ehly, Fort Tejon CHP Station
On January 23, 2009, the California Highway Patrol swore in 178 new officers during graduation ceremonies at the CHP Academy in West Sacramento. The graduation ceremony is the culmination of 27 weeks of intense training. The class, which is the second largest to graduate in Academy history, includes: several immigrants who have relocated to California from outside the U.S., cadets who moved from other states to join the CHP and nearly two dozen soldiers who have served in combat. Also graduating was Adam Tondreau who was raised in our community and whose father is a retired CHP officer. Additionally, a local CHP Sergeant who works in the Fort Tejon Area has pinned the badge on his third and youngest son.
Retired CHP Officer Maurice (Moe) Tondreau proudly pinned the CHP badge on his son Adam, who was four years old when he moved to the area with his parents, attended El Tejon School and Frazier Mountain High School. Adam has a younger brother and sister who also attended our local schools. His father, Moe, retired from the CHP at the end of December 2007. Adam graduated eighth overall in a graduating class of 239. He is assigned to the CHP Newhall area.
Adam is married to Vanessa and together they have three children, the youngest is a son who was born while Adam was in the Academy. Needless to say, his parents, Moe and Mary, are extremely proud and excited about his career.
Sergeant Mark Rhoades, who is assigned to the CHP Fort Tejon area, was proud to pin the CHP badge on his son Bobby. Bobby is the youngest of Mark’s three sons, and the last to join the ranks of the department.
Mark’s two other sons are CHP officers as well. Bobby, like Adam Tondreau, is assigned to the CHP Newhall area.
Mark’s other two sons are Mark Rhoades, Jr. who has been with the CHP for five years and is assigned to the Bay area and Curtis Rhoades, who has been with the CHP for two years and is also assigned to the CHP Newhall area. Mark Rhoades, Sr. and his wife Janice are also very proud of their sons’ accomplishments.
As a side note, Sgt. Mark Rhoades has been with the CHP for over 30 years, with the last 21 years as a Sergeant. Mark had a brother in the CHP as well. Both Mark and his brother John were partners for many years when they worked out of the Bakersfield and Southern California areas. John retired several years ago as a Sergeant assigned to the Santa Maria CHP area.
Read related story: CHP Media Boot Camp
This is part of the February 06, 2009 online edition of The Mountain Enterprise.
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