Two new Park Forest Police Officers, Andres Garcia and Jorge Verdin-Hernandez, were sworn in during Monday night's board meeting at Village Hall. 

The ceremony was attended by family, friends, and fellow officers. After the ceremony, Park Forest Police Chief Brian Rzyki congratulated the new officers and announced that they were a great addition to the department. 

Rzyki praised Garcia and Verdin-Hernandez for choosing a path that required calmness, courage, and an unwavering commitment to serving and protecting the Village of Park Forest residents fairly and impartially while honoring the constitution and laws of the land.

Garcia, born in neighboring Chicago Heights, has lived in the Village since 1999. He graduated from Rich East High School in 2009 and earned a degree in web design from DeVry University. Garcia is an avid fan of the Chicago Bears and Chicago Cubs and enjoys camping and fishing in his free time. During the ceremony, Garcia's girlfriend Moraima pinned his badge. 

Verdin-Hernandez, who grew up in Aurora and graduated from East Aurora High School, earned an associate's degree in business administration from Waubonsee Community College. 

Although he worked in corporate finance for three years, Verdin-Hernandez's passion for serving the community led him to pursue a career in law enforcement. 

In his spare time, he likes to travel, explore new places, and watch the Bears play in person. Verdin-Hernandez's wife, Lizbeth, pinned his badge during the ceremony.