Last week the Bamberg Police Department (BPD) added two sworn officers to the department. The lucky woman and man serving and protecting the City of Bamberg are Vaishali Patel and John Zorn.

Patel with a motto of, “don’t let the size fool you,” is originally from New Jersey, and moved to Bamberg with her family in 2006. Law enforcement, an ever growing passion of Patel’s, is not a career her family is unfamiliar with. Her father introduced her to the field with his career in homeland security.

Patel will be the new School Resource Officer at Bamberg Middle School, after training with Officer Corey Bamberg and attending the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy (SCCJA). Patel jokingly admitted her nervousness concerning the driving portion of her training, because she is short in stature. However her excitement and joy filled the department as she spoke about her future as an officer of the BPD.

Zorn, from Barnwell County, has patiently awaited the opportunity to “keep the people of Bamberg safe,” since he was five years old. Not only has he been doing ride alongs with officers in Bamberg, but he has also participated in calls in the Ehrhardt area. Unlike Patel, who is indifferent to being sprayed with mace due to the spicy foods from her culture, Zorn is not looking forward to that day once at the SCCJA.

However, his duty to protect and serve the community was very evident when he stated, “I’m glad to be here and be part of the community now and look forward to serving [the people] in any way I can.”

The City of Bamberg can continue living peacefully knowing there are two more people who took a job, knowing their lives are at stake, as police officers. They have made the commitment to do what it takes to protect the lives of this city.

To find out more information about what Patel and Zorn will be doing once at the SCCJA visit: http://www.sccja.sc.gov/.