The Covington Police Department hired four new police officers recently, and each has a unique story.

Police Chief Stacey Cotton introduced the four officers to the Covington City Council Monday before they were sworn in by Mayor Ronnie Johnston.

Matthew Henning – Henning is Covington Fire Department Deputy Chief David Gunter’s son-in-law, and Cotton said the family was "doubling down" with the city.

Travis L. Pierce – Pierce is a second-generation law enforcement officer, as his father was an agent for the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. Cotton said Pierce’s father died when Pierce was 6 years old. Pierce’s father’s GBI badge number was 93, so the city is giving Pierce a badge number of 193.

Timothy C. Payne – Payne owns a local landscaping company, but Cotton said Payne "decided he wanted to chase bad guys" instead.

Yalonda D. Shields – Cotton called Shields’s smile infectious, but told the council not to be fooled as she is a veteran police officer from DeKalb County.