As the Delta Police Department’s (DPD) Watch Commander for A Platoon, Acting Staff Sergeant Gary Koonar is dedicated to enhancing operational effectiveness and ensuring community safety while applying his diverse experiences to mentor and train the next generation of frontline police officers.  

A/S/Sgt. Koonar’s interest in policing and protecting communities was sparked by his school liaison officer’s guidance and mentorship in high school. He pursued his passion by volunteering with a community-based crime prevention organization, then earning both an associate’s degree and a bachelor’s degree in criminology, achieving the latter while also serving with DPD. 

Since joining DPD at age 22, A/S/Sgt. Koonar has delivered operational and investigative excellence. He participated in Project Virtue to investigate child prostitution and human trafficking and helped identify and rescue a teenage girl. A/S/Sgt. Koonar also volunteered as the Affiant to secure vital judicial authorizations and facilitate the undercover operation’s success. In addition, A/S/Sgt. Koonar enhanced his agency’s gang investigations by leading an intelligence-led initiative that identified numerous gang offenders, thus reducing gang violence and shootings in his community.  

A/S/Sgt. Koonar has also exhibited exceptional leadership and commitment to fostering positive cultural change by serving as one of the primary trainers for the Active Bystandership for Law Enforcement program. 

A/S/Sgt. Koonar strives to be a reliable, dependent, and credible member of the profession. As one of DPD’s public information officers, he works to foster transparent communication with the community, including using his Punjabi speaking skills to bridge connections with the Punjabi community.  

“Each step, from volunteering and advanced studies to other preparatory efforts, was driven by the desire to make a tangible difference in my community.”