Banales Takes Over as Eloy Police Chief
Sergio Banales, a 30-year law enforcement veteran who most recently worked for Monster Energy Company in Phoenix as corporate security manager, is Eloy’s new police chief.
He started on the job Aug. 5, taking command of a department with 32 officers and 11 support staff serving a city of about 19,000 that’s expected to grow in the next decade as Pinal County’s development boom expands farther south.
Banales started out as a military police officer in 1989 and spent much of his career in the City of Corona, California, where he advanced from officer to captain. He also worked for the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department and the Mercer Island Police Department in Washington state.
Banales said he is “honored to join the Eloy Police Department and I look forward to working with dedicated officers and the community. Together we will enhance the culture of proactive community policing and continue to provide exceptional service to our residents and visitors.”
Banales has a bachelor’s degree in public administration from California Baptist University, a master’s in management from the University of Redlands, and also has completed numerous professional law enforcement training programs. He succeeds Chris Vasquez, who retired in August 2023.
