The Forest Grove Police Department has two new officers, the city said, following the swearing-in of Officer Richard Yamanoi and Officer Justin James on Oct. 9.
"While they are new faces in Forest Grove, neither are strangers to law enforcement and collectively they bring almost 18 years of experience to [the] team," the city said in a press release.
Both have experience at larger police forces elsewhere in Oregon.
James began his career in law enforcement at the McMinnville Police Department in 2008. He served there for 14 years before a brief stint as a police officer in South Carolina.
"On his recent return to Oregon, Justin is jumping back into law enforcement as the newest FGPD patrol officer," the department said.
Yamanoi is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran. He served four years before leaving the military for a career in law enforcement. He joined the Portland Police Bureau in 2020, where he worked for three years before completing his bachelor's degree and joining the Forest Grove Police Department as a patrol officer.
The department said both officers will complete the Field Training and Evaluation Program and get to know the Forest Grove community over the next few weeks before hitting the streets solo.
