HERCULES -- The city has hired two sworn police officers, police Chief William Goswick announced Tuesday, helping restore some previous cuts to the department.

Hercules issued layoff notices in March to three police officers, which brought the department to 20 to sworn officers, 10 fewer than at the end of June 2011. Since then, voters have approved a half-cent city sales tax that is expected to raise about $500,000 a year.

A former officer will rejoin the department, along with a former reserve officer and member of the department's police explorers program, according to Goswick's memo.