Philadelphia police welcome 24 new officers during graduation ceremony at Temple University
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — The Philadelphia Police force just got a little bigger. Two dozen cadets graduated from the police academy on Friday.
One by one, the 24 cadets took their latest steps in their journey to become the newest officers in the Philadelphia Police Department.
The group was sworn in during a graduation ceremony at Temple University where they received their diplomas after taking an oath to protect and serve.
"Their resilience, their dedication and unwavering commitment to service is nothing short of exceptional," said Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel.
The new officers are joining the force during a pivotal time. The department continues to deal with a staffing shortage. Police say despite the challenges, crime — specifically homicides — is decreasing.
So far this year, there's been 173 homicides, which is a 38% drop from this same time last year when there were 280.
Sebastian Santos said he's ready to help the department build on that progress. Oddly enough, Santos said he wouldn't even be here if it wasn't for a stop two years ago at Popeyes.
That's where he met retired Philadelphia Police Officer Eric McLaurin who convinced him to pursue the job.
"An emotional moment," Santos said. "From day one, he took me under his ropes, put his name on the line for me and guided me through it step by step."
McLaurin said, "You got to have empathy and compassion for people and if you don't have those two things, you can't do this job and this kid has it. His heart is big as day. He's just a great kid."
Marcus Perry, the class valedictorian, is also ready to hit the ground running.
Born in Southwest Philly, Perry called it an honor to serve the community that raised him.
"It's been a dream since I was a little kid. I always wanted to protect my community," he said.
The new officers are expected to hit the streets within the next few days.