WOODLAND — Michael A. Duhadaway’s interest in law enforcement led to his swearing in Thursday night as a part-time police officer in Woodland.

Jacqueline Hough | The Daily Herald Michael A. Duhadaway, right, was sworn in Thursday as a part-time police officer for the Woodland Police Department by Mayor Jay Jenkins as his wife Ariel, left, and daughter, Joanna watched. Advertisement

 “I am looking forward to working,” he said after formally taking the responsibility as a law enforcement officer.

With his family, town commissioners and others in attendance, Duhadaway said the oath to Mayor Jay Jenkins during the town monthly meeting. He admitted to being a little nervous but feeling good.

Watching him getting sworn in was his wife, Ariel, daughter, Joanna, 7, son, Eli, 1, his father, Mike, his brother, Noah, mother and father-in-law, Hank and Doris Brown, and sister-in-law, Hana Brown.

“I thank God for sending me this opportunity. He will be looking over me every step I take,” Duhadaway said. He thanked his family, friends and those he will be working with for all of their support.

Duhadaway of Halifax will start his part-time position on Monday. He also works for Fineline Industries East Inc., in Woodland.

He served in the U.S. military including a deployment to Iraq where he was a mechanic on Bradley Fighting Vehicles. He left the service in 2005 but the military influence remained.

“My experience in the military is what drives me to it,” he said.

He added that a lot of his friends are police officers and deputies.

Duhadaway heard about the position from Commissioner Les Clark, who is his boss at Fineline. “He has looked out for me a lot.” Basic Law Enforcement Training was at Halifax Community College for 17 weeks.

Police Chief Don Ryan said Duhadaway “will be a good police officer and an asset to the department.”

One of Duhadaway’s goals as an officer to make sure citizens are able to walk the streets safer.

“We have some rough areas in Woodland that we are trying to control,” he said.

For Duhadaway, law enforcement is about protecting and serving with one-on-one communication being the key. “Your integrity means everything,” he said.

During Ryan’s report, he told commissioners that he was still waiting on paperwork for the new chief. Ryan is retiring.

Commissioners voted to advertise again a position for a full-time officer. “We thought we had somebody but we decided not to hire that somebody,” Ryan said. The police department has money from stimulus funds for a full time police officer for the next three years.

“We’ve went through the candidates but just didn’t find anyone we wanted,” he said.