Philadelphia Police Department's Graduation Day helps add ranks and celebrates diversity
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The Philadelphia Police Academy graduated new officers Tuesday amid a deepening staffing shortage. The new officers are ready to serve a neighborhood where most residents are of color.
The sound of bagpipes played in the air at the Temple University Performing Arts Center Tuesday as the latest Philadelphia Police Academy Class filed in and took their seats. Each recruit called out their name before they collectively took the pledge to protect and serve.
"The city continues to designate funds this year to help recruit more police officers," said outgoing Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney from the podium. "To join the ranks of the city's finest law enforcement professionals in the country."
To fill just some of the many vacant spots, the department needed every one of these 31 new Philadelphia officers and two Temple University Police officers, like class valedictorian Alex Barberini.
"The vast majority of residents of Philadelphia are hard-working citizens," he said. "That just want to get from their work to their home and enjoy themselves."
The Temple University criminal justice grad said he understood the department was facing a staffing shortage.
"It doesn't scare me," Barberini said. "I think that it's a good thing that we have more officers graduating on the street."
His mother Sheri said she felt a bit differently. She's proud but also scared for her son.
She fought back tears, thinking about her son stepping up to help protect his neighbors.
"He has never worked as hard at anything in his life as he has to get into the academy and then through the academy," she said. "That actually gives me comfort, because he's where he belongs."
This latest class of academy graduates walked up to the stage as recruits from across the Philadelphia metro area, Puerto Rico, Jamaica and Uzbekistan and left that stage as new officers. The class included 10 Black, four Hispanic, and five women recruits.
"They're proud of me, they're happy," said graduate Eriq Pierre of his parents. "I'm a second-generation American. My family immigrated from Haiti on my dad's side."
The Penn State grad is from a family dedicated to serving this country.
"Both my parents were in the military for over 20 years," he said. "My dad jumped out of planes. He was Airborne. My mother was a combat medic."
His father, Alex, a U.S. Army veteran, said Eriq embodies all the principles of the department.
"Eriq is a person of honor and integrity and I think that he's going to represent the police force well, represent the city well, and represent those that came before him well," Alex said.
Interim Police Commissioner John Stanford said these new graduates will help the department become more diverse and more reflective of the city.
"One, building relationships with communities all throughout this city. But also, it's key in terms of just knowing how to interact with so many different backgrounds of people," Stanford said.
The interim commissioner asked the graduates to remember this one thing: "Treat people the way that you want your families to be treated when they encounter police."
He also thanked the 31 new Philadelphia Police officers and two Temple University Police officers saying, "Our city needs you."
"Today, we emerge not as individuals," Barberini said in his commencement speech. "But a united force bound by a common purpose: to protect and serve the citizens of Philadelphia and to do so with honor and integrity."