ECU Police Welcomes New Officers | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Publisher's note: The author of this post, Jamie Smith, is a contributor to ECU News Services.

    As students begin the fall semester, four new police officers will begin their careers at East Carolina University.

    Daryl Richardson, Neill Reynolds, Andrew Ferguson '16 and Anastahia Johnson were sworn in as officers during a ceremony Friday, Sept. 2 at the Greenville Centre. The new group will join approximately 55 officers on ECU's police department which makes it the largest sworn police force in the UNC system.

    "The ceremony is important because it marks the transition from trainee to officer. We want to introduce them to our community so people know who they are and understand they are not just officers but people who can help them solve problems," said Jason Sugg, ECU's interim police chief.


    Officers took an oath and had badges pinned on their uniforms by friends, family members or fellow officers. Afterwards, the officers posed for photos to commemorate the end of training and the start of their career.

    When Reynolds and Richardson reflected on why they chose ECU, a big reason was their desire to work on campus and serve the community. Reynolds added that he "appreciated the comradery and morale of the officers he worked with."


B.A. Ferguson, Joanie Ferguson, D.A. Richardson, Pastor Donald Foster, A.C. Johnson, Andra Blue, N.C. Reynolds, J.L. Sugg, and Vickie Joyner, ECU Police recruitment coordinator. (Photos by Cliff Hollis)

    Ferguson is originally from Roanoke Rapids and graduated from ECU last May. He decided to work with ECU Police because he wanted to stay in Greenville. His mother pinned his badge and other family members were there to show their support.

    The officers will begin their duties Labor Day weekend which also happens to be ECU's first home football game of the season.