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New Albany swears in new class of police officers; chief praises long training process
Summary
At its March 17 meeting the New Albany City Council hosted a ceremonial swearing-in for multiple new police officers. The police chief outlined the department’s hiring and training timeline and thanked officers’ families; several officers were pinned and took the oath.
The New Albany City Council on March 17 held a ceremonial swearing-in of several new police officers, with Police Chief (introduced at the meeting) outlining the department’s multi-stage hiring and training process and Mayor Sloan Spaulding thanking families for their support.
The chief described the recruitment sequence and training requirements, saying the hiring process takes about six months, the police academy about six months and new officers then complete roughly 15 weeks of field training. “We hire for character,” the chief said, noting many recruits complete the full sequence and some do not. He praised the officers’ perseverance and the work of field‑training officers who mentor new personnel.
Officers and sergeants introduced at the ceremony included Sergeant Kors, Jill (a Columbus Police Academy graduate), Gabby (who completed a leave while adding unique skills, including as a master diver), Austin Kennedy (from the Morrow County Sheriff’s Office), Randy Lytle (who previously worked as a dispatcher and served in the Army National Guard), Jacob Poole and Matthew Friess. Family members participated in pinning ceremonies and several council members offered congratulations.
Mayor Spaulding used the ceremonial portion to recognize the demands placed on officers’ families and to thank them for their sacrifice, saying the city values the service these officers will provide.
The swearing-in concluded with additional congratulations from council and staff. The meeting then moved on to other agenda items.
