Last fall, the Mechanic Falls police chief found himself the last cop left on the beat. Now Chief Jeff Gross has rebuilt his police force, hiring five new officers who were introduced to the Town Council on Monday night, according to the Lewiston Sun Journal. In September, Gross was a chief without any officers below him, after losing five officers in about three months to other departments or who left policing altogether, the newspaper reported. Three of the new recruits still need to complete their training at the Maine Criminal Justice Academy in Vassalboro, but are expected to finish within a year. Watch more: