For most of his life, Chevis Aaron Swearingen has wanted to be a police officer.
Monday morning, he achieved that goal. The 23-year-old Swearingen was sworn in as Altavista’s newest police officer by Mayor J.R. (Rudy) Burgess.
“It’s the only thing I can picture myself doing,” Swearingen said about law enforcement. “I just want to help the town I work for. I want the community to see police in a positive light.”
Swearingen, who lives in the Stewartsville area of Bedford County, said he’s wanted to be a police officer since he was 3 or 4.
In Altavista, he replaces Sgt. Calvin Rowland, who retired in July after 28 years on the force.
This is Swearingen’s first job in law enforcement. He graduated in May from Radford University with a Bachelor of Arts in criminal justice. This summer, he had an internship with the Roanoke Police Department.
He said his girlfriend lives in the Nathalie area, and he had visited Altavista before. He said he looks forward to serving the town.
“I just love the area,” he said. “It just seems like the right fit for me. I feel like I can make more of a difference if I’m in a small town.”
Swearingen will start the six-month police academy in January. After that, he’ll have field training with other officers in the Altavista department. He said he plans to move to town once he graduates from the academy.
Away from work, Swearingen enjoys hunting, fishing, hiking, and playing and watching sports. He said he also likes being involved in the community. While at Radford, he helped with Special Olympics and other community events.
Swearingen’s hiring gives the Altavista department 13 officers.