Harrisburg's newest police officer is home grown

Harrisburg native Eric J. Gott is the city's newest police officer.

Gott, who started the job Thursday, is a 2004 graduate of Harrisburg High School. He joined the U.S. Marine Corps as an infantryman after he graduated from high school, and completed one deployment to Iraq.

After five years with the Marines, Gott moved to New Jersey and completed a bachelor's degree in exercise science. He currently is working on a degree in criminal justice.

Gott said that while he was living away from Harrisburg, he always hoped he would get the chance to return.

"I had applied for a position here. All my family is here, and I would come back and visit them quite a bit," he said.

Gott, the son of Bonnie and Keith Gott of Harrisburg, will soon also be attending the police academy.