Sparta To Begin Interviews For Two Police Officers

The Sparta Police Department will begin interviews next week to fill two positions.

Sparta Police Chief Jeff Guth said the force recently lost two officers to better-paying jobs and issues with certifications.

“But I have got some good candidates to interview and I feel like we could probably, by the 15th of August have two candidates to present to you to fill those two slots,” Guth said. “And we have got several certified officers that have applied. So we will be looking real hard at them.”

Guth said one officer officially resigns today.

“Another officer is leaving, the last one we hired is leaving, going to go to work for Overton County,” Guth said. “[He] said more money and a take-home car. So he is going to work for them.”

Guth said hiring the new officers will bring the department back to full capacity.

“And so we are going to be doing that and we will take care of that. And get everything back up and running to full strength,” Guth said. “And we are just staying busy. That’s about it.”

Guth discussed the interviews at the Board of Aldermen and Mayor meeting Thursday.