On July 10, 2015, a Los Angeles Police Academy graduation ceremony was held at the LAPD Administration Building plaza.
The ceremony featured 39 graduates, five of which were for Los Angeles World Airports. All recruits have completed 920 hours of training over the course of 24 weeks. In full uniform and ready to receive their diplomas, the recruits appeared before Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, Chief Charlie Beck and command staff, invited guests and hundreds of spectators.
Chief Beck places a high priority on attending recruit graduation ceremonies as an opportunity to thank, inform, and congratulate LAPD’s newest officers. As always, he acknowledged the many family members and friends who have supported the new officers and thanked them for instilling the right kind of character in the graduating officers, the kind of character that being an LAPD officer requires.
“You will experience things that no person should have to experience,” he told the new officers. “And [after you become a police officer] you will not be the same person. Every day, I want you to remember why you’re here.” He also encouraged the graduates to never lose their self-pride or their pride in each other and to never lose their desire to “make a difference” or “be the calm in the eye of the storm.”
In closing, Chief Beck promised the graduates that as police officers, if they show empathy tempered with their strength, they will be the kinds of officers that he looks up to.
Recruits will be on patrol in their respective LAPD divisions as soon as Sunday, July 12. In keeping with tradition, at the end of the graduation, the recruits recited their class chant and ceremoniously tossed their caps high into the air, a jubilant symbol of their success at the police academy and the promise of a fulfilling career as LAPD police officers.
Download COP Grad Speech 7-10-15
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