Austin Police Department’s two new officers — Rian Jones and Kristoffer Stein, who were sworn in Tuesday — are preparing to energetically tackle anything that comes their way.

“I think it’s a great opportunity for me to become part of this agency,” Jones said. “(The officers) are great guys, and the more I get to know the rest of the crew, the more that they’re the same caliber of person – just great people.”

Stein echoed Jones’ thoughts on coming into the APD as a new face.

“Everybody is really welcoming,” Stein said. “They’ve all said not to be afraid to ask about anything if we have questions.”

Both officers come to Austin with a sense of enthusiasm and motivation thrusting them forward as they begin their extensive 14-week training program.

Jones explained that the first two weeks of training is done in-house for the purpose of maintaining their law enforcement licenses. Once in-house training is complete, the two will move on to field training, which entails riding along with experienced officers.

“It’s a very tough program,” Jones said. “Probably one of the toughest programs as far as agencies go in the state.”

While Jones and Stein are similar in that they are both young — ages 27 and 24, respectively — and enthused, they come from different professional backgrounds and bring with them varying skill sets.

A fresh start

While Stein worked as a reserve officer in Eagle Lake for more than a year, APD is his first police department.

“I’m nervous but I know I can do the work,” Stein said. “One of the main reasons I came to Austin is it’s an excellent job opportunity.”

Both Stein and Jones have mentioned several times that the APD could provide them more opportunities for growth than other departments.