The Jefferson Police Department is back to full strength again as the City Council recently approved the department’s newest officer.

Mark Wolterman is a Jefferson native who graduated from Jefferson-Scranton High School in 1999. He then earned an associates degree in criminology at Iowa Central Community College before transferring to William Penn University where he earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology, with an emphasis in criminology. Following college, Wolterman worked on his dad’s farm before going into the insurance industry.

Wolterman worked at Grinnell Insurance and Pioneer Mutual Insurance before coming back to Jefferson six years ago to work at Complete Insurance/Farmers Mutual Insurance. He explains why he chose to start a new career in law enforcement.

“It was just something I was passionate about for years and something that I always wanted to do. (I) Thought about it several years ago when I saw an opening (with the Jefferson Police Department) and just decided not to. Just (the) timing was right, and saw the opening, and just kind of went for it.”

Wolterman feels there has been a lot of support for the police department and the Greene County Sheriff’s Office. The City Council approved hiring Wolterman at their regular meeting on May 26th, with a starting salary of $42,554, effective Monday, June 15th.