HPD hires more officers to meet recruitment goal

HATTIESBURG, Miss. - The Hattiesburg Police Department swore in two new officers Thursday at City Hall.

The department now has a force of 94 serving officers. The new hires are lateral transfers from the Pine Belt. Seth Blackmon comes from the Columbia Police Department and Cory Shumock comes from the Purvis Police Department.

The fathers of Shumock and Blackmon pinned their sons with official HPD badges before the program closed.

Both men will report to the training where they will spend the next three weeks working through a refresher training course.