The Elizabethton Police Department has added a seasoned officer to its ranks, with the swearing-in of Joseph Rios as the latest member of EPD this past Friday. According to a recent report from the City of Elizabethton official news release, Rios comes to the department with valuable experience under his belt, stemming from a law enforcement career in Texas.
Rios didn't just step into the role of a novice patrol officer; instead, he has taken on the responsibilities of a corporal, thanks to EPD's lateral entry program which recognizes the know-how of veteran officers by offering them advanced rank upon joining, he didn't slide into the role unacknowledged though, as the Chief of Police Jason Shaw extolled Rios' quick integration into the department, citing his professional background as an asset that made him an immediate fit. "We are glad he has joined our team, and we welcome him not only to the team but welcome him and his family as new members of our community," Shaw said in the City of Elizabethton announcement.
The lateral entry program is an initiative that appears to provide experienced officers an incentive to join the force by allowing them to carry over their expertise and be placed accordingly without the need to start from scratch. Rios, who began his new chapter with EPD earlier in the week before the official ceremony, is one of the latest beneficiaries of this program.
