Danville Police are starting the new year with some new personnel. A swearing-in ceremony was held today (Tuesday) for 28-year-old Hailey Aukerman who joins the department as a new probationary officer. Next week, Police Chief Christopher Yates says more officers will join the ranks…
(Audio: ”We will also have a swearing-in for four additional officers next Tuesday. And we’re excited as well for that. We have a very positive outlook as far as the new candidates, and how they are going to be able to assist the community and assist the department and help in the community.”)
Aukerman explained what got her interested in police work…
(Audio: “I went to Saint Mary of the Woods College in Terre Haute and got my studies for my degree in Criminology and Psychology. I’ve been around law enforcement all my life. My father’s a prosecutor in our county and has served for many years. So that’s something that really peaked my interest in wanting to serve and help the community police-wise.”)
Chief Yates says the new officers will head to the police academy for fourteen weeks of training later this month…
(Audio: ‘’And when they return from the academy – upon successful completion of that – they’ll enter a minimum of fifteen weeks of field training. And that’s very vigorous with some of our most senior and experienced officers. Not necessarily experienced in age but experienced in what they do and what they understand serving the community. After they complete that they will continue on with their eighteen month probation until they are fully vested and on their own.”)
The Danville Police Department has undergone a number of changes under Chief Yates, and he says it can be exhausting at times. But Yates added: “We also have a lot of energy, and we know what the goal is. We know what we’re going towards, and every day we come to work working towards that.”
