NASHUA — Three months after the city's police chief pleaded with aldermen to increase the police force, the department swore in four new patrolmen Wednesday.

With six police officers set to graduate from the Police Academy Sept. 14, and the four new officers scheduled to start the academy in about two weeks, a total of 10 new officers will be on the streets by the end of the year.

“We are very excited about that, and we actually still have one vacancy left,” Police Chief John Seusing said.

Earlier this summer, there were only 164 active officers on the force because of six vacancies, six officers attending the police academy and another officer in training. Now, Seusing said the department will be fully staffed with 176 active officers.

On Wednesday, Seusing welcomed the four new police officers during a special ceremony in front of their friends and family.

“Today, they become part of another family,” Seusing said, promising to provide the men with the best training possible to keep them sharp, professional and safe.

The newest members of the force include: Matthew Duncan, 24, of Billerica, Mass.; Christopher Rogers, 23, of Billerica, Mass.; Benjamin Turner, 27, of Smithfield, R.I.; and Michael Zupkosky, 23, of Westford, Mass.

A fifth officer, Steve Prymack, was sworn in during a separate ceremony on Tuesday. Prymack worked for the Nashua Police Department for about five years, but left three years ago to work for the Drug Enforcement Administration. Seusing said he is glad to have Prymack back on the force.

Currently, the police department is authorized to hire 179 police officers; however its budget only provides enough funds for 177 officers. To accommodate the chief's request for more patrolmen, the Board of Aldermen recently added $100,000 to the police department's contingency account, allowing the chief to hire additional officers if he feels comfortable with the available funds.

During Wednesday's ceremony, two people were recognized for trying to save the life of a drowning man July 7 at Sandy Pond. Although Jay Coocen, 29, later died at the hospital, Officer Timothy Orrico and local resident Janet Covert risked their lives to help him, according to Seusing.

Covert was nearby when she witnessed Orrico in the pond struggling to bring an unconscious Coocen to shore. Together, Orrico and Covert were able to get a flotation device around Coocen, bring him to shore and allow paramedics to take over.

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Kimberly Houghton may be reached at khoughton@newstote.com.