(MTSU photo by Darby Campbell)

MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee, shown at left in the photo above, welcomes six newly commissioned police officers to the university July 1 after a special ceremony for the newest members of the MTSU’s Department of Public Safety. Seated next to McPhee is new officer Sarah L. Hoover; her colleagues are, from left, new officers Mario Hussey, Ryan Ingram, Jacob Wagner, Ricardo Morales and Jason Hicks and MTSU Police Chief Buddy Peaster.

The new additions, who will finish their administrative training in a few weeks, bring MTSU’s number of certified police officers to 40. Five of the new hires will attend the Tennessee Law Enforcement Training Academy in Donelson for a 10-week Basic Police School; one officer has already graduated from the academy.

All six also must complete the MTSU police 16-week field training program. Each will become a patrol officer and will interact with community members, respond to calls for assistance and investigate criminal incidents, Peaster said.

For more information on MTSU’s Department of Public Safety and the services it provides, visit http://police.mtsu.edu.