Contact: Sunny Mindel/Matthew Higgins (212) 788-2958
Marilyn Mode (212) 374-6700 (NYPD)
"Serving in the New York City Police Department is not just a job, but a noble calling reserved only for those who commit themselves to the highest standard of integrity," the Mayor said. "Today's graduates represent an incredibly diverse group of men and women who share in common a desire to safeguard the well-being of seven and a half million people. They understand that the job is often demanding, sometimes dangerous and that they will encounter many challenges throughout their careers. But they also understand that there are few things in life more personally rewarding than a career in public service."
The Mayor continued, "This is an important time to be joining the NYPD. As a result of the dedication of your fellow Officers, overall crime is down to its lowest level in three decades. In less than six years, New York City has been transformed into one of the safest large cities in America - but we must remain committed to reducing crime even further. At the same time, we must also acknowledge areas where there is room for improvement and work together to maintain our Department's reputation as among the best Police Departments in the nation."
Police Commissioner Howard Safir said, "The most important thing to remember when interacting with the public is C-P-R - Courtesy, Professionalism and Respect. No officer can be considered a good police officer who does not treat everyone fairly and decently. No officer can truly be effective if he or she does not have the trust of the community he or she serves. No matter how trying the circumstances, C-P-R is always the best approach and it is what we expect from all our Police Officers each and every day."
Today's graduating class entered the Police Academy on August 31, 1998. While in field training, the 1,177 men and 193 women of the graduating class responded to 8,746 radio calls, made 121 felony and 617 misdemeanor arrests and issued 5,539 moving violations and 10,284 parking summonses. More than 32 percent of today's graduates hold a Bachelor Degree or higher, and more than 20 percent hold an Associate Degree.
Several outstanding graduates were recognized at the ceremony. Francis Giordano received the Mayor's Award, given to the graduate with the highest overall average. The Police Commissioner's Award for the highest academic average was awarded to Kevin Williams. The Chief of Personnel Award for the highest physical achievement while in training was awarded to Terrance Tennant.
Today's graduates will be assigned to the Transit Division, Housing and Patrol Service Bureaus citywide, where they will work to reduce crime even beyond the 51 percent decline in overall crime since 1993.