AUGUSTA – Eight new troopers were sworn in to the Maine State Police and received their badges on March 17. The new troopers began patrolling Monday.

The swearing-in ceremony followed eight weeks of extensive training in state police policies and procedures.

Troopers patrolling Aroostook County in Troop F are: Frederick Thomas, 52, of Washburn, a former officer with the former Maine Bureau of Liquor Enforcement; and Shawn Querze, 34, of Fort Kent, a former police officer with the Fort Kent Police Department.

The new troopers who will patrol Washington County in Troop J are: Kimberly James, 36, a former animal control officer in her hometown of Brockton, Mass.; and Andrew Foss, 38, of East Machias, a former part-time deputy with the Washington County Sheriff’s Department.

New troopers assigned to Troop C who will patrol Somerset and Kennebec counties are: Joseph Chretien, 41, of Benton, a former officer with the Waterville Police Department; and Hugh Landry, 24, of Dover-Foxcroft, a former part-time deputy with the Piscataquis County Sheriff’s Department.

Assigned to Troop A to patrol York County are: Kevin Rooney, 28, of York Beach, a former officer with the York Police Department; and Kevin Strout, 38, of East Waterboro, a former state police detective who left the force in 2000 and was rehired recently.

Despite the eight new troopers, there are still 20 vacancies in the department.

State police accept applications on a continuous basis, and information of the hiring process is available by calling human services at 624-3816 or visiting the Web site at www.maine.gov/dps/msp.