CRIME, POLICE + COURTS
19 police recruits graduate from Salt Lake City Police Academy
Feb 16, 2023, 8:30 PM
Salt Lake City Police Chief Mike Brown speaks Thursday, Feb. 16, 2023, at the graduation of 19 police recruits from the Salt Lake City Police Academy. On Monday, Brown, along with other Salt Lake City law Enforcement recognized April as National Child Abuse Prevention Month. Photo credit: Salt Lake City Police Department.
SALT LAKE CITY — A total of 19 police recruits took the next step in their law enforcement career by graduating Thursday from Salt Lake City Police Academy.
“Becoming a Salt Lake City police officer is more than just being a crime fighter,” said Salt Lake City Police Chief Mike Brown in a news release. “We are problem solvers, effective communicators, and guardians to every person who lives in, works, or visits our community.”
Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall expressed her gratitude to each of the 19 police recruits during the ceremony Thursday.
“I am so grateful for those who serve our city each day, and I’m thrilled to welcome a new recruit class to our outstanding police department,” she said in a news release. “So much sacrifice, work, and mental fortitude goes into becoming an officer, and I’m forever thankful for those who choose to serve our capital city.”
As part of the 2022 SLCPD Updated Crime Control Plan, a top priority for the department is to fill all sworn positions.
For more than six months, the new recruits were trained in a variety of areas. These areas included emergency vehicle operations, crisis interventions and firearms. The recruits also received training in legal, reality-based scenarios and defensive tactics.
What’s next for the police recruits?
The officers will now enter the next phase of their training – field training. During this time, each of the recruits will partner with a Field Training Officer. Each of the recruits will be evaluated on how they perform the daily functions of the job.
“Our academy is challenging and hard for a reason,” Brown said. “The training unit provides these women and men with the tools necessary to do a job that is heavily scrutinized. But critically important to our community.”
As of Tuesday, Feb. 14, SLCPD had 34 vacant sworn positions. On Jan. 23, the department welcomed an additional 17 new recruits, who are scheduled to graduate in July.
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