WILKES-BARRE — Wilkes-Barre City Police Department on Friday swore in three new officers.
Officers Derek Boos, Justin Pierzga and Paul Cole were sworn in inside Council Chambers in City Hall. Luzerne County District Attorney Sam Sanguedolce, WBPD Chief Joe Coffay, WBPD Captain Mike Boyle, and Wilkes-Barre City Mayor George C. Brown attended the ceremony.
• Derek Boos, 24, will be assigned badge number #728.
Boos was born and raised in Pringle and attended Wyoming Valley West High School, Class of 2018.
Boos spent two years studying business at King’s College (2019-2020). Prior to being hired by WBPD, he worked at FedEx Ground as a package handler for three years.
He was trained at the Allentown Police Academy, as part of the 113th class.
• Justin Andrew Pierzga, 30, will be assigned badge number #730.
Born in Colorado, he was raised most of his life in the Lehigh Valley. He attended Parkland High School, Class of 2013. He graduated from Lehigh Carbon Community College in 2015 with an associate degree in criminal justice.
Prior to being hired by WBPD, he worked as an armored car messenger.
Pierzga trained at the Allentown Police Academy, part of the 113th class.
• Paul F. Cole, 28, will be assigned badge number 729.
Cole was born and raised in Plains Township and attended James M. Coughlin High School, Class of 2014.
Prior to being hired by WBPD, Cole worked at the Luzerne County Division Corrections for almost six years. After that, he worked for the Veterans Affairs Police Department in Wilkes-Barre.
Cole is a service member of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard attached to the 109th Infantry Regiment in Scranton.
Cole was trained at the Allentown Police Academy, part of the 113th class.