Four new police officers were sworn into the Great Falls Police department on Tuesday.
Many of their family and friends were on hand to celebrate and support them in this process.
The hiring pool began with 35 applicants and after the course of six months, only four were offered a job with the force.
The six-month process includes background checks, interviews, and intense training.
Recruitment Lieutenant Rich LaBard said he is proud of the hard work these men have put in.
“It's been really exciting to watch them and to have met them almost six months ago when this started and watch them progress through the process,” said LaBard. “The stress of it, the work that they have to do, it shows that they have perseverance.”
One of the four new officers, Jamie Carr, has dedicated his life to serving others. He joined the military right out of high school and served 12 years. He then served four years with the Sheriff’s Office. He knew he wanted to continue to serve here in Great Falls.
“It's a very important thing, and it's the initial step to getting started in your police career; taking it serious and knowing that you're doing something that's bigger than yourself,” said Carr. “It was destiny for me to get back to doing it; I can't really find purpose without it.”
This is the first class of officers that LaBard has had the opportunity to swear in, and he explained the significance of the swearing-in ceremony.
“Montana law requires us to take an oath in order to uphold the Constitution of the state and the Constitution of the country,” he said. “So in the oath of office, we're affirming before a judge that we will uphold both constitutions in the course of our duties.”
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