By KARI BLURTON
Hays Post

Hays Police Chief Don Scheibler said he is proud to introduce two new police officers to the community.

Michael Dunlap, a Fort Hays State University graduate of the Justice Studies Program, and T.J. Hall, a military police officer with the Kansas National Guard who previously attended Northwestern Oklahoma State University, both recently graduated from the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center located near Hutchinson.

“I believe both these officers will be a good fit for Hays and have proven to be a good fit for the Hays Police Department,” Scheibler said. “I am very proud of Michael for going to the academy and graduating in the top 5 of his class, and I’m very excited to have T.J. on board and am grateful for his service to his country and to this community. … Very proud to have both of them.”

Hall said he is excited to fulfill is lifelong dream of becoming a police officer and is especially excited to serve Hays.

“It’s a really good community,” he said.

Scheibler said the hiring process to become part of the Hays Police Department is a lengthy one, involving physical and written tests, an interview with an interview board and a thorough background check prior to the 14-week training course at the KLETC.

Scheibler added each new officer has been paired with an HPD field training officer for another 14 weeks of additional training.