The City of Centralia swore in a new police officer Monday morning.
John Osborne took the oath of office from City Clerk Kim Enke during a ceremony in the city council chambers.
Osborne was a Sandoval Police Officer and has just completed the full-time officer academy. He’ll still have to complete the City of Centralia’s field training program which will last the next 12 weeks.
Centralia Police Chief Greg Dodson says for various reasons the police department is currently down six officers on its authorized staff of 25.
Officer Billy White recently retired and moved to the public works department. Another officer is deployed to Kuwait and two are off on injury duty.
Osborn is filling the spot left open when Officer William Temple resigned to take a position with the Granite City Police Department.
Another officer is nearing completion of the field training program. Austin Leslie will be able to work alone starting June 14th. He was sworn in to begin the Police Academy last November.
Dodson says they are currently working on a replacement for White, but the next opening in the police academy isn’t until August 22nd.
