ABOVE: From left: CSO Cadet, Derek Hughes, Officers Justin Jobe, Theodore Cromwell and Jordan Slater. The four are recent additions to the Fairmont Police Department.

FAIRMONT– Four new faces have recently joined the Fairmont Police Department. Officers Jordan Slater, Theodore Cromwell and Justin Jobe, along with Community Service Officer (CSO) Cadet, Derek Hughes, began their positions in the past few months.

Jordan Slater grew up in Fairmont and upon graduating from Granada-Huntley-East Chain School, he went to Alexandria Community and Technical Community College and just graduated this past May. Slater said he was interested in going into law enforcement because every day is different.

While he’ll be working as a general officer, he has an interest in helping juveniles with home troubles. Slater said he was always interested in coming back to the area as he has family here.

Theodore Cromwell, along with Slater, started his position on June 15. He’s from Lakefield and studied law enforcement at Minnesota West in Worthington.

“I’ve seen a lot of bad things in my life and I want to help people in dark times,” Cromwell said.

After graduating in 2020, he worked for a few years in Redwood County before making the move to Fairmont. While here he has a specific interest in drug interdiction.

Justin Jobe is originally from Jefferson City, Missouri though he’s called Fairmont home for 18 years. Jobe received his training through the United States Air Force.

“For me it’s kind of a family occupation. Both my dad and grandfather were in law enforcement,” Jobe said.

Jobe’s been a police officer since 1999. He worked a few years in Missouri and then started with the Truman Police Department in 2005 and was most recently Chief of Police there before making the move to the Fairmont Police Department in April.

“It was just time for a change and this is the next chapter of my career,” Jobe said.

Derek Hughes is from Sherburn and graduated from Martin County West High School. Hughes is currently a student studying criminal justice at Bethany Lutheran College in Mankato. He started his role of CSO Cadet on May 18.

Last summer, Hughes was an intern for the city of Fairmont through the Martin County/ Minnesota Valley Action Council summer internship program. However, part way through the summer he changed and started interning with the Fairmont Police Department.

Last fall, his father, Brad Hughes, former Chief of Police for Welcome/Sherburn, passed away, which led Hughes to want to go into law enforcement.

As a CSO Cadet, Hughes will work alongside CSO Brad Buhmann on code enforcement, animal control and assisting officers as needed.

Police Chief Mike Hunter said the cadet position was established to focus on retaining local students who are going into law enforcement. The position provides them the opportunity to serve the community while enrolled in a law enforcement program in college.

“It provides a training component and first-hand application of working through certain responsibilities,” Hunter said.

He added that because Buhmann is a retired officer, he can only work so many hours so having the cadet position helps ensure that the work still gets done.

Hughes will continue to work throughout the summer and even into the school year on available weekends or holiday breaks. He will graduate next year and would like to return to Martin County to work in law enforcement.

With the hiring of the three new officers, Hunter said they’re still actively looking for one more full-time officer.

“Throughout the state there’s a low number of applicants going into law enforcement, which makes it a competitive environment. We’re very pleased with the quality of applicants that we’ve seen and we’re pleased with the officers we’ve hired. We think they’re an outstanding group that will do very well for our community,” Hunter said.

“We’re all excited for the opportunity to serve this great community,” said Cromwell.

Slater added that the goal is to serve the community in a fair, professional and dedicated manner.