The Kankakee Police Department is at its budgeted staffing level after the recent hiring of two new officers.

Police Chief Chris Kidwell introduced Max Forquer and Tyler Parsons, bringing the department to 67 sworn officers.

The officers were introduced at Tuesday’s Kankakee City Council meeting.

Both men were hired in August but only recently completed the required police academy training.

Forquer, 31, of Kankakee, is not new to the area. An almost six-year member of the U.S. Army, he is a 2012 graduate of Clifton Central High School.

He worked at GNC and FedEx before joining the police department.

Parsons, 26, who lives near Aroma Park, was part of a military family and spent time in many locations throughout the country, notably in Kentucky and Tennessee.

He served five years in the U.S. Army. Like Forquer, this is his first job in policing.

Parsons said he had no knowledge of Kankakee County, but that changed when he met his wife, Mackenzie Gadbois, while in Tennessee.

Kidwell is hopeful that the department can maintain its 67-officer force, at least for the near future.