The Great Bend Police Department has hired six new officers since January, and Police Chief Steve Haulmark introduced three of them, all with ties to the area, to City Council at its meeting Monday night.

Present were Nicholas Reed, Christian Rivas and Eric Jones. Reed graduated from the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center near Hutchinson last Friday and is currently a field training officer. Rivas and Jones will start at the KLTC Nov. 1 and are engaged in field training as well. 

“All three of these gentlemen come to us highly recommended,” Haulmark said. “I’m very impressed with all of them, I think they’re going to do a great job for the city.”

He said all three are from Barton County or have moved here and now call it home.

The other three new officers are currently at the KLTC and Haulmark said he will introduce them to the council once they’ve returned.

He said the department currently has 30 officers and have one opening.