JOSHUA TREE (March 18) — The sheriff’s department has installed a department veteran who lives in the Morongo Basin as the head of its regional station there.
Dale Mondary, who most recently has been serving as the commander of the sheriff’s department’s court services division, will be installed as the Morongo Basin station commander on April 19.
He is to replace retiring Captain Richard Boswell, who has been the head of the sheriff’s station in that portion of the desert since September 2012.
The Morongo Basin includes the two incorporated cites of Yucca Valley and Twentynine Palms, as well as the unincorporated communities of Morongo Valley, Landers, Pioneertown, Joshua Tree, Wonder Valley and the Twentynine Palms Marine Corps Training Base.
Mondary has been a resident of Yucca Valley for 21 years, two fewer than the 23 years he has served with the sheriff’s department.
In his capacity as station commander, he will also serve as police chief of Yucca Valley and Twentynine Palms, both of which contract with the sheriff’s department for law enforcement service.
He worked previously at the Morongo Station as a deputy, detective, sergeant and lieutenant.  Mondary has a masters degree in criminology and criminal justice from Indiana State University and is a graduate of the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia.