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The Port Arthur Police Department recently welcomed five new officers to the ranks. The new hires worked their first shifts Monday.

Officer Orrin Landers, Officer Dairius Charlot, Officer Jorge Medina, Officer Lashaun Johnson and Officer Daniel Guzman took the oath of office in a social-distanced ceremony across from the police station on Friday.

The new officers have had a bumpy road in order to wear the shield.

PAPD Chief Tim Duriso was asked what these new officers brought to the table.

“Professionalism, dedication, desire to protect and serve and are excited to be Port Arthur Police Officers,” Duriso said.

Lt. Jeremy Lloyd, training coordinator, said the five were hired late last year, then began work at the police academy at Lamar Institute of Technology in January.

Then along came the coronavirus.

LIT and other educational institutions were closed down, but since the police academy and fire academy were considered a public service, they were allowed to continue classes — just differently. Some classes were held on weekends and some were held at the Beaumont Police Department.

Group members graduated in May, took their state licensing test and have been through orientation to learn about the city and policies, computer systems, become certified on weapons and body cameras and more.

None of the new officers had police experience before and all are from the Southeast Texas area. Two are military veterans; Landers served in the Marines and Guzman in the U.S. Navy reserves.

Lloyd said the new officers all seem to be good, quality individuals who want to be at PAPD and work for the community as public servants.

Currently, two are assigned to the day shift, two to the evening shift and one to the night shift and in about a month they will rotate to different shifts.