The Centralia Police Department has a new officer, its first through lateral transfer from another department.
John Hinkel who has been a Central City officer the past six years and a paramedic for Lifestar Ambulance for the past 20 years was sworn in as a Centralia Police Officer Tuesday morning by City Clerk Kim Enke.
Centralia Police Chief Greg Dodson says Hinkel will be an exceptional officer as a result of his experience on the Central City police force and emergency medical response. He notes the normal 12 week field training program for policy and procedures will be cut to six because Hinkel already knows the community and radio system.
Hinkel fills one of the four currently openings on the department.
Meanwhile, 11 successful candidates of the recent police testing program are scheduled for oral interviews next Monday. The list will then be finalized once military and college credits are added. With anticipation of another officer leaving, Dodson says the plan is to immediately hire four off the list who have training spots in the Police Academy in January.
Dodson says they will also continue to look for officers in other departments who would like to make a lateral transfer to the Centralia Police Departments.
