A longtime law enforcement officer has been elevated to the rank of lieutenant with the Lady Lake Police Department.
Nelson Vargas received his new badge Monday night before the Lady Lake Commission. His 7-year-old daughter Ava had the honor of pinning that badge on his shirt.
Vargas joined the Lady Lake Police Department in February 2017. Vargas was promoted in June 2018 to the rank of corporal and became a field training officer, training new members of the department.
In his new role, Vargas will oversee the administrative services bureau of the Lady Lake Police Department.
Prior to joining the force in Lady Lake, Vargas served as a police officer for 23 years in his hometown of East Hampton, N.Y. He attained the rank of sergeant before his retirement in 2015.
He holds a degree in criminal justice from West Chester University in Pennsylvania.
