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CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – The Clarksville Police Department welcomed five new officers in an oath of office ceremony Monday morning at City Hall. The new officers taking the oath included three female and two male officers, Elvia Hembree, Brandan Hendricks, Jessica Sims, Cassandra Vergason, and Richard Williams.
(CLICK HERE TO VIEW PHOTOS)
(CLICK HERE TO VIEW PHOTOS)
Debbie Frazier, Interim Commissioner of Finance and Revenue administered the oath in the absence of Mayor Kim McMillan who was out of town on a family emergency. According to Clarksville City Code, if the Mayor is not available the Commissioner of Finance and Revenue administers the oath.
Frazier recognized and thanked the family members of the soon to be officers and also the many Clarksville Police Officers who filled the room to be a part of the new officers signing up for the police force.
It was also an important occasion with the signing of the new officers because it is the first time in recent memory that the Clarksville Police Department has attained its authorized law enforcement personnel levels which is now 273 sworn officers.
After taking the oath of office, Police Chief Al Ansley talked about the addition of the new officers. “We’d like to say that this is the first time in our history at least as we know that we’ve been at full staff. Once you sign those papers we’ll be at full staff at the Clarksville Police Department,” Ansley said.
One of the new officers, Jessica Sims, was asked why she chose law enforcement as a career and why she wanted to join the Clarksville Police Department. “I had wanted to be a police officer for some time and Clarksville seems like a good city and I have family and friends here and I’m proud to be part of the police department,” Sims said.
Clarksville City Councilman and Mayor Pro-Tem Geno Grubbs, who served as a police officer before being elected to the City Council talked to the new officers about the department. “I spent 28 years with this police department and it is the best police department anywhere and I know you’re going to make it that much better,” said Grubbs.
