New York’s Finest graduate

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly presided over a graduation ceremony for 1,147 new police officers at Madison Square Garden. The graduates recently completed over six months of intensive training at the Police Academy and will be assigned to Operation Impact, the program that pairs rookie officers with experienced supervisors and deploys them to targeted high-crime areas.
“Even during tough economic times, when the city’s finances are severely limited, we remain committed to keeping New York City the safest big city in America,” said Bloomberg. “Over these past nine years, we’ve reduced crime by more than 35 percent, and we’re on track to record the third-lowest number of homicides in our city ever this year.”
One hundred and one members of the class have prepared for their careers by serving in the Police Cadet Corps; 94 served in the military. Approximately 26 percent of the graduates are Hispanic, 12 percent are black, 6 percent are Asian and 55 percent are white. Approximately 15 percent of the graduates are female.
“This recruit class is a true reflection of New York City,” said Kelly. “They come from 51 countries and speak 47 languages. They’ve left behind careers in law, medicine, and business because police work was their calling. They are united by their aspiration to serve the public and contribute to the all-important work of defending the city.”
Bloomberg presented the Mayor’s Award to Police Officer Dennis G. Maxim for earning the highest overall average in the class. In addition, Police Officer Kasey J. Homer received the Police Commissioner’s Award for earning the second-highest overall average, and Police Officer Nathan A. Collins received the First Deputy Commissioner’s Award for earning the highest academic average.