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DPD welcomes 41 new officers
The Dallas Police Department graduated class number 406 from the academy today. During the last year, the department has aggressively increased recruiting, including hiring people away from other departments.
DALLAS - The Dallas Police Department Academy’s 406th class graduated on Friday.
Over the past year, the department has aggressively increased recruitment, including hiring people away from other departments.
DPD Cadet Graduation
What we know:
On Friday, 41 cadets took an oath to become Dallas police officers. They received their official badges from Dallas Police Chief Daniel Comeaux.
This year’s class includes members from across the country and some from around the world. Others are homegrown. One is a lateral transfer from the Arlington Police Department.
That lateral transfer program began a year ago to recruit experienced officers from other agencies. They have a chance to earn a higher salary as long as they have two years of street experience and a college degree.
What they're saying:
Vladyslav Muntyan moved to Texas from Ukraine 19 years ago.
"I always wanted to help people, and it took me a second to figure out how do I want to help people. And eventually I was thinking about police, some law enforcement. I live in Dallas, so I thought if I’m going to help people I want to help my neighbors, my community. So that’s why I ended up joining Dallas police," he said.
"Ever since I moved to the states, Dallas has been home and it’s poured so much in me. I went to college, graduated from UNT with my bachelor’s, so I just wanted to give back to the city that gave so much to me," added Sierra Leone native Alvien Merriman-Johnson.
Dallas resident Jonathan Gonzalez is following in his father's footsteps.
"I grew up. I had a great role model. I saw him always working, putting in the hours for our family, and it really just motivated me. I really wanted to do what he did because he was a really good person, a good father to me and our family," the 21-year-old rookie said.
His father, Cpl. Michael Gonzalez, is a 28-year DPD veteran.
"I’m super nervous for him. I’m excited for him. He’s going to have a great career. I’m scared as a father, but I know he’s got the training. I know the department’s got him ready for what he needs to do. And he’s going to make me proud, make the city of Dallas proud," his father said.
By the numbers:
DPD has hired 400 recruits since a charter amendment was passed requiring the department to hire 900 new officers to be fully staffed.
126 of those new officers are now on the streets, while 214 are still in different stages of the Academy.
60 have either failed or resigned for various reasons.
The Source: FOX 4's Shaun Rabb gathered information for this story by attending Friday's Academy graduation.