Williamsburg hires reserve officer

WILLIAMSBURG — The Williamsburg City Council approved the hiring of Andrew Mendez as a reserve officer for the Williamsburg Police Department during its Feb. 12 meeting.

Police Chief Justin Parsons said he’s lost a couple of officers — one moved to California and another is headed to Florida — and he’s moving some officers around.

Mendez works full time for the Sixth Judicial District, but he’s been in the field for 10 years and has six years of experience as a reserve officer, he said, including while he lived in Kodiak, Alaska.

Born and raised in New York City, the East Coast native has been in Iowa 11 years.

Mendez said he went to training with a friend who was a Williamsburg reserve officer and was pleased with his situation. When a new reserve position opened up, Mendez applied.

Mendez has ridden with each of Williamsburg’s officers, and they’ve had no complaints about him, said Parsons.

“We really do need another body here,” Parsons said, and Mendez is more than just a body.

“I think he’s going to be a really good attribute.”