3 Brothers Graduate Together From NYPD Academy
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A total of 1,123 new police officers graduated on Tuesday – among them three brothers who make up a real-life family of blue bloods.
As CBS2's Meg Baker reported, the call to serve is in the blood of the Favale family. Stephen Favale, 24, and his 22-year-old twin brothers – Alec and John – were surrounded by cameras and microphones as they graduated as new members of the NYPD at Madison Square Garden.
Police Commissioner Bill Bratton presided over the graduation. He was joined by Mayor Bill de Blasio and Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson.
"I think we are lucky to have this press right now, but we are just like everyone else that graduated, and you know, there's people who worked just as hard as us -- even more," Stephen Favale said.
This was the first time anyone could remember three brothers graduating from the academy together.
"There is one family that we've got to say a special thank you to," said Mayor Bill de Blasio, "because talk about giving back to this city and serving this city -- it does not get better than the Favale family."
PHOTOS: 2015 NYPD Police Academy Graduation
The brothers have a close personal relationship with one another.
"We're together all the time, and it's always wonderful," Stephen Favale said. "I've got to say we have a great sibling relationship."
One of the twins, John Favale, graduated with top honors and wore his father's shield.
"John, since he was a little boy, he always wanted to be cop, so he was destined for it," said their father and role model, Anthony Favale.
The senior Favale is a 30-year veteran of the NYPD. He currently serves as deputy inspector of the NYPD Organized Crime Bureau on Staten Island.
But on Tuesday, he was proudest of his boys.
"I have this level of confidence that they're good boys," Deputy Inspector Favale said. "They never gave me an ounce of trouble growing up."
"I can't say enough about my children. We're a very proud family," added the new officers' mother, Stephanie Favale. "And I know they'll make the right decision every day of their lives."
Still, mom and dad said there is always concern for their children.
"I have that fear, but just like every New Yorker has that fear – you're in a big city, big things can happen," Deputy Inspector Favale said.
The brothers said the graduation on Tuesday not only strengthened their bond to each other, but also what they called their new family in blue.
Other relatives also serve on the force. Transit Bureau police Officer Joyce Delemo is their aunt, and police Officer Francesco Favale is a cousin.
The new class in total swells the ranks of the department to 36,000 -- the highest number in decades, 1010 WINS' Juliet Papa reported.
Additional police are being trained to deal with new anti-terror strategies and will be in special, first-response units.