Sam Wildow | Miami Valley Today
Troy Mayor Robin Oda, right, administers the oath of office for Samantha Pierce, left, who is a new police officer joining the Troy Police Department, during a swearing-in ceremony held Wednesday in council chambers at City Hall.
By Sam Wildow
TROY — Troy Mayor Robin Oda swore in a new police officer for the Troy Police Department in a swearing-in ceremony held Wednesday in council chambers at City Hall.
Samantha Pierce, of Sidney, is joining the Troy Police Department after recently graduating from the Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy at Edison State Community College, and she is continuing to study criminal justice at Edison State.
“We’re happy to be your first job here in the field,” Oda said prior to administering the oath of office.
“I’m just so grateful for this opportunity and for everyone that’s here today,” Pierce said. Pierce’s family, including her husband and their two children, attended the ceremony, along with her pastor and other members of the Troy Police Department.
Troy Chief of Police Shawn McKinney said the department has had a number of retirements recently, changing the department from a mostly senior, experienced staff to one with a number of new faces. Approximately half of the department has less than five years experience in the field, McKinney said.
“We’re definitely entering a new stage,” McKinney said. “There’s a lot of change going on.”
Pierce’s hiring has also brought the department to being fully staffed.
Pierce, who grew up as a Navy brat, had previously considered joining the military, but she decided to go into police work and criminal justice instead as she did not want to be deployed away from her family for long periods of time.
“I’m very excited,” Pierce said about joining the Troy Police Department.
Teen Leadership Troy also sat in on the swearing-in ceremony on Wednesday.
