A special ceremony was conducted during Monday’s Gulf Shores council meeting as new police officer Lorant Baranovics was sworn in by Municipal Court Judge Walter Chandler.

Born in Budapest, Hungary, Baranovics graduated high school in 1994, and served in the Hungarian army from 1995-1996 where he was honorably discharged as a corporal.

After leaving the army, Baranovics spent three years working as an armed security guard in Hungary.

As a young adult, Baranovics enjoyed training huskies and competing in dog sledding competitions.

He moved to the United States in September 2000, and began working in the hospitality business. In May 2005, he got out of the hospitality business where he was serving as a restaurant manager, and relocated to the Gulf Coast where he started his career in law enforcement with the City of Orange Beach as a corrections officer.

Baranovics became a United States citizen in May, 2008.

“If every man who ever joins this police department, desires it and wants it as badly as this man has dreamed and worked for it, then we will have the finest police department anywhere,” said Judge Chandler. “He wanted to be a police officer since he was born, and never dreamed that he would get to the United States. But now he stands before us, fulfilling a dream he has had all of his life. I can’t think of a young man that I have ever sworn in that I have been more proud to swear in than this man.”

Patrol Officer of the Month

In other police news, the council and Police Chief Edward J. Delmore recognized patrol officer Paul Maliska as the January 2011 Officer of the Month.

On January 12, Maliska located a vehicle on East Gulf Place that was occupied by a suicidal woman. The woman refused to open the doors or lower her windows. Officer Maliska could see prescription bottles on the front passenger seat and the floorboard of the vehicle.

According to Chief Delmore, the victim was extremely distraught and at one point, attempted to back her vehicle into Maliska’s squad car.

Maliska was able to force entry into her vehicle and turn it off.

Later, it was determined that the victim had taken a large overdose of prescription medication and was transported to the hospital by medical personnel.

Also, during January, Maliska made five arrests including one for illegal narcotics and two for DUI.