A slow night is a good night for one new police officer, but it is only his first week.

Two officers completed the police academy on Dec. 4, and joined the Florala Police Department.

So far, Chad Phillips hasn’t seen much action.

“It was a slow Monday and Tuesday,” Phillips said. His first shift was this past week and he’ll be back in the patrol car this weekend.

“I definitely want our community to be safe, so a slow night is a good night for me,” Phillips said.

He said he has so far written a few traffic tickets and warnings, but knows there will be plenty of time for experience working the roads to Florida.

“I know I’ll definitely be getting a lot of experience here in a whole wide range of things,” Phillips said. “Especially dealing with Hwy. 331; there’s people from all walks of life on that road.”

Phillips said he applied to the police department in his hometown of Opp, but there were not any open positions. He said he is very happy with his job in Florala.

“I really enjoy Chief Sonny Bedsole,” Phillips said. “He’s given us a good amount of responsibilities right off, and we’re learning a lot.”

As a small police department, he said they’re like an extended family, and he said everyone’s been working really well as a team.

Phillips is an Opp High School graduate, and completed a degree in criminal justice from Troy University in December 2013.

“Growing up I had an idea this was what I wanted to do,” Phillips said. “I had/have family in law enforcement.”

He said his family is happy with his decision to become a police officer like his father, brother, cousin and uncle.

“Like anyone with family in law enforcement, you understand the dangers,” Phillips said. “They’re proud I choose this path to go down, especially because I’ll be making this community a better place.”