Four members of the Suffolk Police Department advanced during a promotional ceremony Tuesday evening.

Sgt. Katrina Everett advanced to the rank of lieutenant. Officers Quinn Beers, Jesse Epperson and Kenneth Long were promoted to the rank of sergeant.

“I want to commend you for taking a path of leadership,” Deputy City Manager Patrick Roberts told the four candidates.

Chief Thomas Bennett admonished the four to maintain honesty and integrity, make firm decisions, learn from their mistakes and provide good leadership.

“It all starts with y’all,” he said. “Your people look up to you. Y’all have to be above reproach, and they will follow.”

Everett was hired by the Suffolk Police Department in 1993 and assigned to uniform patrol. She was recognized as Officer of the Third Quarter and Officer of the Year in 1998.

In 1999, she was assigned to the Detective Bureau as the department’s first domestic violence investigator. She was promoted to the rank of sergeant in April 2006 and again assigned to uniform patrol. In 2007, she was transferred to administration, where she has been instrumental in the organization and automation of the department’s property and evidence.

She has a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Old Dominion University and is married to Suffolk crime scene technician Shane Everett.

In a police department tradition, Everett gave a speech at the ceremony as the ranking member being promoted. She thanked current and former members of the department who had helped her achieve her goal of becoming detective. She also recognized her husband during her remarks.

“Shane is a remarkable man, and I’m so thankful to have him in my life,” she said.

Beers was hired by Suffolk Police in 2004 and assigned to uniform patrol. He is a general instructor, evidence technician and field training officer. In 2008, he was transferred to the criminal investigations section and in 2010 was assigned as a computer crimes detective, where he handles computer forensics for the department.

He has a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and a master’s degree in sociology from Old Dominion University. He and his wife Tracey have four children, Eli, Troy, Colin and Kyle.

Epperson was hired by Suffolk Police in 2006 and assigned to uniform patrol. He is a general instructor, bicycle operator and field training officer. In 2009, he was transferred to the Neighborhood Enforcement Team and became certified as a gang specialist. He has attended numerous classes on gang awareness, prevention and recognition. He was recognized as Officer of the Third Quarter for 2009.

He has a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Old Dominion University. He is married to Kerri.

Long was hired by Suffolk Police in 2002 after five years as a police officer in Portsmouth. He was assigned to uniform patrol and is a general instructor, radar instructor and driving instructor. He has completed crash reconstruction schools and is a fatality investigator. He has trained more than 40 new police officers as a field training officer.

He and his wife Talitha have one son, Kyle.