Two new Kingfisher police officers started work this week, Police Chief David Catron said.

Calumet native Jarred Tech and Derek Grassmann of Piedmont both have 16 weeks of Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training classes ahead of them before they are fully certified.

Tech, a 2016 graduate of Calumet High School, fell in love with Kingfisher while working on the south U.S. 81 improvement project for the Oklahoma Department of Transportation.

“I worked four years as a construction inspector for ODOT,” he said.

“But becoming a policeman is my life’s dream.”

Grassmann is a 2016 Piedmont High School graduate and currently lives in Marshall on his family’s farm, with his wife Ashley and their 3-year-old daughter Avery.

Their second daughter is scheduled to arrive next month, he said.

After high school, Grassmann worked as an internet tower climber.

He’s also a second-generation volunteer fireman.

“But I was more interested in law enforcement as a career, rather than becoming a career fireman,” he said.

Grassmann said he enjoys working in Kingfisher and appreciates the community’s support of its police department.

“So far, I’ve gotten friendly waves everywhere I go,” he said.

Catron said he is currently taking applications to fill his last open position to get back to a full staff of 13 officers.

The new hires replace three recent resignations.