Plum recruits young officer to fill police ranks

Cristina Sargent showed interest in police work from a young age. Her father said she would watch “America’s Most Wanted” when she was 4 years old.

But White Oak police Chief Mark Sargent, who has been chief for six years and with his department for more than 30 years, didn’t necessarily want his daughter following in his footsteps.

“I wanted her to go to law school,” he said. “It didn’t work out.”

Plum Council on Monday approved hiring Cristina Sargent, 22, as the borough’s newest police officer. She would be the department’s third female officer, among 29, when she starts, which is expected to be in early July.

The starting salary for a police officer in Plum is $66,859.

Sargent’s hiring comes after council approved hiring three officers in February. Haylee Walak started March 11, Luke Skledar started March 25, and Jason Saunders started April 8.

Before she starts, Sargent will have to graduate from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania police academy, scheduled for June 21. She applied for the job in Plum after officers from the borough came to her class looking to recruit.

Plum police Chief Lanny Conley assigned three officers — Jacob Kingerski, Tyler Kurtz and Timothy Troy — all in their early to mid-20s and recent academy graduates — to travel to police academies, said Detective Joe Little, the department’s public information officer.

“As police recruiting is extremely competitive, Chief Conley recognized the need to be proactive in order to pursue the best young officers,” Little said. “Because of the young officers’ success early in their careers, Chief Conley believed they could describe to cadets the benefits of working in a community like Plum Borough.”

Sargent interviewed for the job in January.

“I really like the community, the area,” she said. “I have family here.”

That family would be an uncle, her father’s brother, as well as an aunt and cousin.

Sargent graduated from McKeesport High School in 2019. She earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Point Park University.

“We are very excited to have Cristina as a police officer. She excelled in all facets of the civil service testing process,” Little said. “Cristina’s personality and enthusiasm shined. Her ability to communicate also set her apart. It will be amazing to watch this young lady continue her family’s legacy in law enforcement.”

While Mark Sargent initially was hesitant about his daughter becoming a police officer, he said it was her choice and her calling, and the family is happy for her.

“We’re extremely excited about this,” he said. “We know the officers (in Plum). We know the area. We couldn’t be happier.”