Laud 1,000 New Cops For 'Character' to Join Finest; 'Part of An Historic Battle'
By MIA GOLDBERG
The crowd outside Madison Square Garden snaked around the block and spilled into the streets as family, friends and colleagues lined up to attend the July 2 graduation ceremony for the 1,013 newest members of the Police Department, where their boss praised them for choosing to protect and serve.

The Chief-Leader/Adrienne Haywood-James TURNING 'EM LOOSE: New Police Officers mark the end of the ceremonies celebrating their graduation from the Police Academy by tossing their gloves toward the rafters at Madison Square Garden.

'They Give Us Faith'

"There is no better day in the life of New York City than Police Academy Graduation Day, and no event that inspires more hope or confidence in all of us," Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly told the graduates. "Our new Police Officers are the reason why. They give us faith in the future. They could have chosen any number of career paths, but they placed service to the public and the New York City Police Department above all else. That decision alone takes courage and character to make."

The Chief-Leader/Adrienne Haywood-James TOP OF THE CLASS: Class valedictorian David B. Vale (right) and salutatorian Darion M. Brooks were among those in the cadre of 1,013 new cops who said that growing up in New York made them feel a special affinity for the NYPD and proud to join its ranks.

 

 

 

The new officers will be assigned to Operation Impact, the program that pairs rookie officers with experienced supervisors and deploys them to targeted high-crime areas.

"You will take part in the historic battle against crime that has saved lives and transformed neighborhoods," Mr. Kelly continued. Overall crime, he said, has gone down 29 percent since 2001. "Last year, homicides fell to the lowest they have been since 1961, when John F. Kennedy took office as President."

The class of 2008 is among the most-diverse groups in the department's history, Mayor Bloomberg said. Minorities made up the majority of the graduating class, which is approximately 49 percent Caucasian, 30 percent Hispanic, 14 percent African-American and five percent Asian. Seventeen percent of the new cops are women.

"Our graduates have taken many different paths to reach this day," Mr. Bloomberg told the gathering. "Some of you worked in hotels and some in hospitals. You were landscapers and chefs. You drove cabs and school buses... [one was even] a player in the European National Football League."

Class Valedictorian David Vale, 23, who won the Mayor's Award for having the highest overall average of the class, worked as a forecaster for an economic research firm before joining the force. Mr. Vale was born and raised in the housing projects of Manhattan's Lower East Side. He said he was always inspired by the police officers in his neighborhood when he was growing up.

Provided a Sense of Safety

"I remember being about seven [years old] and being awakened by an argument outside of my building ... I looked out the window and seconds later, I saw a man pull out a gun and shoot another male he was arguing with," he said. "That night I had a hard time falling asleep but I felt safe when I heard the police sirens coming my way."

Among the graduates, 148 previously served in the military - including the Salutatorian and recipient of the Police Commissioner's Award for the second highest overall grade-point average, Darion Brooks. Officer Brooks is a Brooklyn native who spent 10 years as a U.S. Marine Corps Staff Sergeant and served seven months in Iraq.

"I joined the New York City Police Department because it has been a dream and major goal for me for as long as I can remember," he said. "I personally believe that there is no better job than one that allows you to serve the public and make a difference in so many people's lives. The New York City Police Department is prestigious among law enforcement organizations, and I have always wanted to be part of the team."

While in the military he met fellow Marine Brittney Reeves, 27, an Alabama native. The couple married and settled in New York, where Ms. Reeves not only helped her husband realize his goal - she made it her own. She, too, is a member of the Class of 2008.

'Let's Do It Together'

"The NYPD was always Darion's dream, and I wanted him to fulfill it. I said, 'Let's do it together,''' she recalled.

Officers Brooks and Reeves shared the day with their 10-month-old son, Evin.

This is the first graduating class to benefit from the contract arbitration decision in May that awarded members of the Patrolmen's Benevolent Association an increase in starting salary from $25,100 to $35,881. That hike actually pales when compared to the $66,000 re-enlistment bonus Mr. Brooks turned down before joining the NYPD. According to his wife, being one of the Finest is by far the richer experience. "Every one of us came on the job at [$25,100] so it wasn't a money issue," Ms. Reeves said in an interview after the ceremony. "Obviously, when we got the raise, it made a lot of people happier and it was a boost for morale, but it wasn't the issue. We did it because we wanted to protect and serve the people and the City of New York."

Other Honorees

Other award winners were Police Officer Steven J. Jehl, who received the First Deputy Commissioner's Award for earning the highest academic average. The Chief of Department's Award for earning the highest physical fitness runoff average went to Police Officers Vincent K. Agostino and Bridhid T. O'Neil. For earning the highest firearms proficiency average, Police Officer Michael E. Ball received the Deputy Commissioner of Training Award.

Police Officers Marquis K. Cross, Carlos Guadalupe, Jeremias J. Torres and Jeffery L. Wickham received the Commanding Officer's Award for exceptional police duty. Police Officer Douglas S. Moodie received the Patrolmen's Benevolent Association Award as outstanding company sergeant, and the New York City Police Foundation Award for exceptional community service went to Police Officer Timothy D. Kessler.