The Wadesboro Police Department has two new officers.

John "Bradley" Davidson and Creeta Grace recently joined the force. Davidson joined May 15 and Grace joined July 24.

Both are natives of the area.

"I was born and raised here," Grace said. She moved to Maryland about the time she was a sophomore in high school.

There, she became a security officer.

"I love it," she said of her new job.

She joined to give back to the community.

"I always find myself helping others anyway," she said. She hopes to one day become a detective.

But first, she has to complete 12 more weeks of training.

Davidson has finished his training. He is a Rockingham native.

He attended Robinson Community College in Lumberton.

This is his first job as a police officer and he likes it so far.

"Every day it's something different," he said, describing what he loved the most about his position.

"I'd like to stay with the Wadesboro Police Department for the entirety of my career," he said.

Chief Janie Schutz said a grant from the Governor's Highway Safety Program requires that she hire an officer to replace any officers that may move into traffic enforcement slots from the program. Grace will fill that opening.

Davidson was hired to fill an opening left by a departing officer.

Schutz described herself as feeling "positive" and "excited" about the new officers.