Police department adding to the force

VW independent staff

Three men will be soon sworn in as new full-time Van Wert police officers.

All three – Justin Hammond, Marino Moreno and Calvin Fackler – will be sworn in at 2 p.m. Thursday at the Van Wert Municipal Building. The three are recent graduates of the Vantage Career Center Police Academy and two of them, Hammond and Moreno, were sponsored by the police department. According to Chief Doug Weigle, Fackler was too young at the time to sponsor, however, since city council approved the lowering of the age to 20 to begin a career in law enforcement, he is now eligible.

Each of the new officers will need to complete a four-month field training program, which is included in a one-year probationary period.

Weigle noted the police department is giving another civil service test at 9 a.m. July 20.  One more officer is needed to be at full staff.  Anyone interested in the position, should pick up an application at dispatch. Applicants must be at least 19 years hold by the date of the exam, but cannot be appointed to the position until 20 years of age. Applicants must be less than 43 years old on exam day.