The latest NYPD academy class welcomed 576 new city and MTA cops to the streets of New York City, with some second-generation officers among the graduates. The ceremony took place at Madison Square Garden, where 430 male officers and 146 women received their badges. Among the new recruits, 63% are from the five boroughs, 54 have served in the military, and they collectively bring 34 different languages to the department. Additionally, 33 Metropolitan Transportation Authority officers graduated from the academy, including a few who followed in their cop parents’ footsteps.
Some of the new recruits have family members who also work in law enforcement. John Bennett, whose father is an active MTA officer, was assigned badge number 2551 – one digit higher than his father’s badge. John Edward Decker received his badge from his retired Westchester County Sergeant father, while Ryan Szaniszlo got his badge from his retired NYPD father. The officers have undergone weeks of multifaceted training and are now ready to uphold the values of professionalism and integrity within the MTA Police Department.
The academy training program is a rigorous six-month course that prepares recruits for the challenges they will face on the job. Mayor Eric Adams has expressed his intention to increase the number of sworn officers in the NYPD to 35,000 after a period of declining numbers due to the pandemic. Despite the addition of new officers, there has been a significant increase in officers leaving the force before their scheduled retirement dates. The city’s police union commended the new class of graduates but emphasized the need for better recruitment and retention strategies.
The NYPD PBA union president, Patrick Hendry, stated that while the new graduates provide much-needed reinforcements for overworked officers, more recruits are necessary to address the growing challenges faced by the department. The NYPD is still thousands of officers understaffed, with hundreds leaving the force each month. Hendry stressed the importance of recruiting talented police officers and retaining the ones already on the force. The city must continue to focus on attracting and retaining top law enforcement talent to ensure public safety in New York City.
