By Jacquelyn Zeman – Managing/News Editor
Twenty-nine students from the Grand Rapids Community College Police Academy graduated on Nov. 6. The ceremony was held in the Ford Fieldhouse, and was attended by around 250 people, including close family and friends of the graduates.
Jodi Richhart, Police Academy Director, opened the ceremony by acknowledge supporters of the program.
“I would like to thank the friends and family of our recruits for your dedication, your patience, and the encouragement you have given over the past year while these recruits have prepared for a career in law enforcement,” Richhart said.
A video presentation was then shown that documented the 10-month training program that the graduates had to complete. Throughout the rest of the program, many recruits and instructors from the police academy gave awards and testimonials on the training the group went through.
Jeffery Wysocki, a police academy graduate, reflected on his time in at the police academy.
“This year has been an amazing year.” Wysocki said. “The first day here we did a lot of physical training, did a lot of pushups and sit ups, and we were like ‘what did we get ourselves into? We had great instructors, we worked together as a squad. Our squad was a wide range of personalities from old to young…we went through a lot.”
Awards were given out to many students who were graduating, as well as many instructors to recognize individual accomplishments from their time in the police academy.
