A new police officer was hired at last week’s Board of Alderman meeting. The virtual meeting was held Tuesday, Nov. 15, via ZOOM.

The meeting was originally scheduled as an in-person meeting Thursday, Nov. 12, but was cancelled due to COVID-19 concerns.

Police Chief Jim Helton asked to the board to hire Keith Young from Sullivan as the fourth officer for his department. Young will be paid $15 an hour during his six-month probationary period. Helton told the board he had already checked that Young’s POST certifications were current.

The board approved the hiring, pending passing of pre-employment screening.

Young will receive about a month of hands-on training to familiarize him with the city’s policies and geography. He is expected to begin training today, Nov. 25 according to Helton.

Once Young has completed training and working on his own, the city will again resume 24-hour police coverage.

Currently, with only three officers on the payroll, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office provides coverage when no officers are available.

Helton also asked the aldermen to disperse the remaining 2020 Prop P funds to his department. He noted that these funds cannot be carried over into next year and must be used for officer’s pay. The board agreed to disperse most of the remaining funds, leaving $1,200 in the account.