Two new police officers will be hitting the streets of Middlesboro after they were sworn in by Mayor Rick Nelson.

Ben Spurlock and Dakota Torstick were sworn in to the Middlesboro Police Department on Friday at City Hall with Mayor Nelson and Police Chief Tom Busic.

“We are excited to welcome these two men to the Middlesboro Police Department and look forward to having them with us in the City of Middlesboro,” Nelson said.

Both men have extensive careers in law enforcement spanning from the Middlesboro Police Department to the Florida Highway Patrol.

Spurlock retired from Middlesboro as a Patrol Sergeant after 20 years of service. He served in the U.S. Navy for eight years prior to that. He has received several certifications and years of training through the Department of Criminal Justice Training in Richmond.

“I am excited to begin this part of my career at the Middlesboro Police Department,” Torstick said during the ceremony.

Officer Torstick worked at the Harlan County Sheriff’s Department. Prior to that, he was a trooper for the Florida Highway Patrol for three years. Torstick is originally from this area.