New Class Of NYPD Officers Includes Man Born To Serve And Protect
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A new crop of 616 NYPD officers graduated from the Police Academy Monday – among them a man who might as well be called a blueblood.
As CBS 2's Scott Rapoport reported Monday evening, graduating the academy in front of his family was more than just a calling for Erik Fischer, 24. It was arguably his destiny.
"It feels like a dream come true," Fischer said. "I've been waiting a very long time, since I was a small boy, for this exact moment."
Fischer is now a police officer just like his father, his grandfather, his great-grandfather, his great uncle, and his great-great uncle. In fact, Fischer is now the 17th member of his family to join the NYPD.
Fischer's great-great uncle, Dan McGrath, was on the beat with the NYPD way back in 1905. His other great-great uncle, Thomas McGrath, was on the force in 1914, and his great-grandfather, William Ott Sr., in 1931.
"I feel like I'm part of that tradition," Fischer said.
Fischer, who appeared in an old New York Post photo as a baby in his father's arms, said his calling started as a little boy. He saw his father – now-retired Detective William Fischer, an NYPD medal of honor recipient – in his uniform.
"It was almost like my dad was a superhero -- him coming home every day," Erik Fischer said. "You know, I felt like my dad was Superman."
When asked if she liked the idea of her son becoming a police officer, Erik Fischer's mother, Cindy Fischer, said with a laugh, "I'm a mother – of course not."
Now, her son will proudly wear his father's badge number - 26062 - on his chest.
"I couldn't be any prouder of him," said William Fischer. "He worked very hard to get this."
In welcoming Fischer and the new officers to the force at the graduation at Madison Square Garden, police Commissioner Bill Bratton told them their new mission is to save the children of the city. He said too many young men are carrying guns.
Bratton also focused on the formation of so-called home-grown terrorists, WCBS 880's Rich Lamb reported.
"We need to work with the young men of the Muslim faith who are being drawn by the radical Islamic movement into terrorism," Bratton said.
The commissioner said the department needs to work with the young men's parents and the young men themselves. He told the new officers, "We can do it, you can do it, and we will do it."
As 1010 WINS' Al Jones reported, the new officers will be focusing on high-crime precincts.
"We'll have roughly about 600 additional officers that will be joining them in the next week to two weeks out in our high-crime precincts, so we're pretty geared up for the summer months," Bratton said.
While at least 20 people were shot in all five boroughs this past weekend, Bratton said crime continues to drop overall.
"We actually had significantly less crime than we had last year at the same period of time," he said.
But shootings are up 10 percent over the same period last year.
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