The State College Police Department has hired three new officers.

Mayor Elizabeth Goreham is expected to formally swear-in the three officers at 11:30 a.m. Friday at Borough Hall.

The officers will fill three of five vacancies within the department that can employ up to 65 officers, according to State College Assistant Police Chief John Gardner.

The department hopes to fill the other two vacancies within roughly six months.

The vacancies are due to retirements and officers pursuing other professional opportunities, Gardner says.

“This is basically trying to get us back up to our sworn complement,” he says.

Among the new officers is Michael Croyle, who started his law enforcement career in Virginia serving as a police officer for eight years with the Chesapeake Police Department. In 2013, he began working at the Lewistown Borough Police Department. Croyle, who is originally from Central Pennsylvania, will join the department’s 17-week Field Training Officer program on Monday.

Nicole Foley, a Penn State graduate and former student auxiliary officer, and Jeremy Gibson, a local businessman, do not have prior law enforcement experience. They will begin their career attending the 23-week Allentown Police Academy starting Monday.

“We’re very happy with them. Obviously, it’s a pretty rigorous process to get hired by our department, a long arduous process … so we’re pretty pleased with what we’ve got,” Gardner says.

Gardner says the officers will bring to the department varied experiences and backgrounds.

“I think that’s how you grow as a department,” he says.

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