The Langley Police Department will soon be up to full strength with the hiring of two new officers.

Don Lauer and Mason Shoudy were sworn in during a recent Monday council meeting. Lauer joins Langley after a long career with the Granite Falls Police Department. Shoudy is a familiar face around South Whidbey, as he grew up in the area and graduated from South Whidbey High School in 2012.

“I’ve known him since, I think, he was a kid,” Police Chief Dave Marks said. “And I admire him quite a bit.”

Shoudy will have to go through the state-run police academy before he can serve the city. Marks said he hopes to enroll him in April, but is waiting on word from the state for the last-minute addition. The new recruit’s mother, Ursula Shoudy, serves on the city council, which was not involved in the hiring process. Police officer applicant searches and interviews are done by the Langley Civil Service Commission, an ad-hoc committee. The final recommendation is up to the police chief, which is then confirmed by the mayor and council.

“Thank you both for joining our police force,” Mayor Tim Callison said.

Langley has funding in its budget for three officers and the chief. For the past few months, the staff was down to just the chief and longtime officer Charlie Liggitt. Two other former hires resigned for personal reasons within a year after being hired. Prior to that, a new recruit hire resigned to take a different police job in Snohomish County closer to his home.