A representative from within the Costa Mesa Police Department has confirmed they have hired Justin Mahaffey as its newest officer.

Records indicate Mahaffey has just completed six months of training at the Orange County Sheriff's Department academy.  The new hire had first started working for the Costa Mesa PD in April 2012.  At that time he had been employed as a jail custody officer.

Department officials felt he had a lot of potential, and decided to send him to the academy.  Records show he began as a recruit during the first week of March.

Mahaffey is a long-time Orange County resident.  He grew up in the area and graduated from a high school in Tustin.  Shortly after graduation he joined the US Marine Corps.   The USMC said he is still working as a reservist and is assigned to the MCAS Miramar station in San Diego where he works as a radio operator.

The Costa Mesa PD has confirmed that Mahaffey needs to attend a USMC training event, which is mandatory.  He will begin his department field training once that completes.  His anticipated start date is Sept. 5.

Department officials reportedly said he is one of the first officers that have been hired since they announced they were looking to bring on 10 reserve and 10 full time sworn employees.  Prior to now, the Costa Mesa PD, like many other departments throughout the state, had been under a hiring freeze due to budget cuts.

Mahaffey said he looks forward to serving the CMPD in the months and years to come.