FAIRBORN — The Fairborn Police Department swore in two new officers June 19, filling two vacant officer positions and bringing the department up to being fully staffed.

Samual Fullen, 23, of Xenia, joins the force immediately after serving the Grandview Hospital Police Department for 14 months. Pierre Harris, 25, of Huber Heights, was sworn in as a Fairborn Police Officer after 18 months of service to the Central State University Police Department.

Fullen graduated Greeneview High School in 2012 and attended both Carson-Newman University in Tennessee as well as Urbana University in Urbana. He graduated the Greene County Criminal Justice Academy in January 2016 with his Peace Officers Certification.

Harris graduated from the Ponitz Career Technology Center in May 2010. He later attended Sinclair Community College, where he graduated with his associates degree in criminal justice and completed the Sinclair Criminal Justice Academy in 2013. He served as a corrections officer at the Warren Correctional Institution until November 2015, later joining the Central State University Police Department force before joining the Fairborn Police Department.

Both Fullen and Harris immediately started their initial 18-weeks of field training upon being sworn in. They are also the first officers to be hired since the Fairborn Police Department changed its hiring process. Instead of hiring individuals “fresh” out of the police academy, the department opted to hire individuals laterally, which means the new-hires previously served a police department.

Officers hired laterally take one less step in the hiring process compared to individuals joining the Fairborn police force immediately after completing peace officer certification. Fairborn Police Sargeant Willard Watts said laterally hired officers still must complete the interview process and pass the polygraph exam, as well as medical and background checks, but are not required to undergo the written and physical fitness exams compared to officers hired directly out of the police academy.

Fairborn Police Chief Terry Barlow swearing in Samuel Fullen June 19.

https://www.fairborndailyherald.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2017/06/web1_Samuel-Fullen.jpgFairborn Police Chief Terry Barlow swearing in Samuel Fullen June 19.

Fairborn Police Chief Terry Barlow swearing in Pierre Harris June 19.

https://www.fairborndailyherald.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2017/06/web1_Pierre-Harris.jpgFairborn Police Chief Terry Barlow swearing in Pierre Harris June 19.

Submitted photos The Fairborn Police Department’s newest officers Pierre Harris (left) and Samuel Fullen (right).

https://www.fairborndailyherald.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2017/06/web1_IMG_0046.jpgSubmitted photos The Fairborn Police Department’s newest officers Pierre Harris (left) and Samuel Fullen (right).