St. Petersburg Chief of Police Charles "Chuck" Harmon announced Friday several promotions in the St. Petersburg Police Department.

Major Melanie Bevan has been promoted to Assistant Chief of Police. According to a police news release, Bevanis a 26-year veteran of the St. Petersburg Police Department, currently assigned as Major of the Executive Operations Division, Office of the Chief. 

Bevan, according to a news release, was promoted to the rank of Sergeant in 1995, and then to the rank of Lieutenant in 1999. In 2005, she was promoted to Major.

She is a 2005 graduate of the 219th Session of the Federal Bureau of Investigation National Academy, and a 2006 graduate of the Eckerd College Lasting Leadership Program. In March of 2012, Bevan attended the Anti-Defamation League National Counter Terrorism Seminar for Police Executives held in Israel. Most recently, Bevan was accepted into the Fall 2012-13 Cohort of the Naval Postgraduate Center for Homeland Security and Defense, Homeland Security Executive Leaders Program in Monterey, California.

Other Police Department Promotions

• Sergeant Gary L. Dukeman is promoted to Lieutenant

• Officer Rickey L. Barber is promoted to Sergeant

• Detective David J. Gerardo is promoted to Sergeant

• Detective Jerry M. Hensley is promoted to Sergeant

• Detective Brian C. Taylor is promoted to Sergeant

• Officer Christopher S. Vaughan is promoted to Sergeant

• Emergency Radio Dispatcher Eileen A. Maloney is promoted to Emergency Communications Supervisor