HPD Adds Two New Police Officers

Hattiesburg, Miss. - The Hattiesburg Police Department have added a couple of new police officers to their department.

City Hall held a swearing in for the new police officers and they were excited to be a part of the department.

Officer Gerald Essary said, "I'm really excited to be here. It's been a long road. I've thought about it for many months, prayed about it for many months, and I'm finally here and glad to be back."

Essary originally was a Hattiesburg police officer before he went to Afghanistan.

Essary said, "I was over there twice in 2004 with the marine core while I was still in the military and again from 2008-2011, working with coalition forces training Afghany police officers, nationally and board of police."

The other new police officer is also very familiar with Hattiesburg, as she used to work as an officer for Southern Miss.

Officer Candace Young said, "I've spent two years with the USM Police Department. They were good enough to send me through the police academy, so I got my certification through them, and I've really enjoyed the last two years with them. I've had a great opportunity to train and learn and to grow as a police officer. It's been a wonderful experience."

Young told me why she wanted to join HPD.

Young said, "Just an opportunity to mature more as a police officer to get into department with a little bit more opportunities to learn and do more things and to expand my skill set."