MOUNT VERNON — Qade Lewis, who began working this week as the newest Mount Vernon Police Department officer, said he is excited to be a part of the department that he watched while growing up just outside of Mount Vernon.

The 25-year-old is a 2002 graduate of Mount Vernon High School. Lewis said he has always been interested in police work, and plans a long career with the MVPD.

“This was my ideal place to work because I grew up here and saw these guys running around all the time,” Lewis said Friday. “I was really excited and happy when I got on. I’ve always wanted to do this and I just decided to go for it.”

MVPD Chief Mike Merrilees said the decision to hire Lewis was actually made some time ago.

“We told him months ago we wanted to hire him and he’s been very patient,” the chief said. “He had a great interview; I was really impressed. I think we made a good choice.”

Lewis will work with experienced officers over the next four months.

“We have an extensive [field training officer] program,” Merrilees said. “He will spend the next couple of months learning the ins and outs and working with different officers.”

The chief said that once the department is up to full staff, a foot beat/bike patrol officer will be assigned to the downtown area once again. Merrilees said Lewis will be considered for that patrol position, which has a lot of contact with people downtown.

Lewis will graduate from Central Ohio Technical College with an associate degree in criminal justice in March. He plans to continue studying for his bachelor’s degree at Tiffin University.

He and his wife, Jenny, live in Knox County, where Lewis said he enjoys hunting and fishing.