EAST SPENCER — The local police department has three new officers in the office and one closing in on graduation from Basic Law Enforcement Training, meaning it will shortly be more than half staffed.

Considering the new year saw the department down to one man, Chief John Fewell, the new officers are more than welcome additions.

Three of the new officers are already certified under previous agencies, but Fewell said they are not able to be officially sworn in until he gets the okay from the state office of Training and Standards, which typically takes about ten days. Once he receives that authorization, new officers Michael Scriven, Tyler Lewis and Cedric Pompey will be sworn in and begin field training.

Scriven has nearly 13 years of police experience in Stokes and Yadkin County as a sheriff’s deputy, and Lewis has three years of experience, two most recently in Kannapolis. Pompey has served as Military Police for the Army and as a sheriff’s deputy in Cabarrus County.

“It’s a good mix of experience,” said Fewell of his new hires. “We’re still looking for three more – two officers and a detective. But I am very pleased with these new additions and think this is a great step for the community.”

Scriven, who has the most experience, credited previous supervisors with helping make him the officer he is.

“They’re old school, and so am I,” he said. “At the end of the day, I should have five new people I’ve met, interacted with, made a connection with. I believe in getting out of our cars, introducing myself to the man out washing his car, the kids playing basketball. I have worked with some good men and women in law enforcement, but the biggest thing to me is community policing.”

That sentiment was echoed by Lewis and Pompey.

“The whole town has been so welcoming, happy to see us,” said Pompey, who is originally from Cleveland, Ohio. “I like that East Spencer is a smaller place, I’m not going to get lost in a big agency and will have the chance to get to know everybody here. I’m looking forward to brining back the community aspect to policing.”

“I’m happy to be here,” said Tyler, the quietest of the three. “Community policing is the most important part of policing, creating those positive connections.” He, too, noted that he is happy to be in a smaller town.

“Kannapolis is big, and busy,” he said. “East Spencer is slower, more peaceful, and I’m looking forward to that pace.”

Town Manager Michael Douglas said he believes the department is moving in the right direction and residents should feel confident in the town’s increasing coverage from local officers.