(Cushing) – A boyhood dream came true Friday, March 21 at Cushing City Hall. Newly hired Cushing police officer Justin Sappington was given the oath of office by Municipal Judge Wade Shaw in the presence of friends, family and fellow law officers.
“Ever since I was a little boy, I wanted to become a police officer,” Sappington said. He seemed to come by it naturally, his father Don Sappington is an officer for the Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Department.
Twenty-one-year old Sappington is a graduate of Ripley High School and a recent graduate from the Collegiate Officer Program at Oklahoma State University, Oklahoma City, where he received an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Criminal Justice. Because he completed the Collegiate Officer Program, he will not have to attend the basic police academy which ultimately saves Cushing tax payers an estimated expense of $5,535.
Sappington will undertake an intensive 12-week field training officer program in which he will learn the fundamentals of being a police officer and perform job related tasks under the supervision of a field training officer before being released to work solo.
“I am truly pleased that Justin made the decision to join our police department,” Chief Terry Brannon said. “During our recruitment process, we knew that we were recruiting someone our community would be proud to have serving them. The people we interviewed about Justin continually talked about his impeccable character. With Justin’s hiring, this furthers my commitment to hire people who will represent our department’s core values through their service to our community.”
See a video of the swearing in and hear remarks made by Chief Terry Brannon by going to the video section.
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