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Kent swears in two new police officers; chief says department entering a hiring surge
Summary
The Kent City Council and mayor presided over the swearing-in of Officers Michael Curry and Nicholas Heath on Jan. 20. Kent Police Chief Padilla said the department expects an ongoing hiring surge; Curry said he joined the force to "serve and give back to the community I call home."
Mayor Ralph and Kent Police Chief Padilla presided over the swearing-in of two new Kent police officers during the Jan. 20 city council meeting.
Officer Michael Curry and Officer Nicholas Heath were introduced to the council and the public before taking the oath of office. Curry told the council he decided to join Kent Police after personal experiences with the department: "A simple answer is because I wanna serve and give back to the community I call home." He also said the department’s response to his family after his son Gabriel’s death in July 2023 influenced his decision to pursue law enforcement.
Chief Padilla delivered the public safety report and described a forthcoming increase in hiring by the department. "We are moving into a season of hiring — what I'll call it a hiring surge," he said, and asked the council to expect additional personnel actions in the coming months. The chief also noted two swearing-ins were part of this month's report and thanked the mayor and council for support of additional hires.
The ceremony included brief family introductions for both officers and closed with Padilla thanking the council for the opportunity to report. No formal council action was required beyond the ceremonial swearing-in.
The Kent Police Department did not provide an exact number of positions to be filled in the meeting remarks; the chief said recruitment activity will continue and that staff will report back at future meetings.
