EAGLE GROVE — A new full-time police officer is on duty in Eagle Grove.

Vic Slape, a former officer in Shenandoah, was sworn in with the Eagle Grove Police Department during the City Council’s meeting on Monday.

“We had an officer resign and that opened up a full-time position,” Bryce Davis, city administrator, said.

Davis said another officer already on the department knew Slape from their time in Shenandoah.

Davis said Slape showed interest in coming to Eagle Grove as a part-timer before a full-time position was available.

Slape will start out working the day shift.

“He is working days to learn the town and the people,” Davis said. “He will eventually be facilitated into the evening shift and go from there.”

Including Slape, the Eagle Grove Police Department has eight full-time officers and one reserve officer.

Davis said the city may add one more officer in the coming months, but not necessarily due to any anticipated population increases.

“We have talked about going to a ninth officer,” Davis said. “But that will be more towards the winter, if not next spring. A lot of that has to do with staffing and overtime. If you add on another officer, yeah, you have another salary and benefits and things of that nature, but if you can reduce your overtime costs and make sure your current officers come to work every day prepared and ready to take on the day’s job, so they are not overworked or overstressed, that can go a long way. It’s moreso for that than the population growth. But, of course, if there is population growth it will be a necessity to add on officers.”