The 144th Cleveland Police Academy Graduates 43 Officers

Friday, September 20, 2019

CLEVELAND - Mayor Frank G. Jackson today administered the oath of office to the 144th Cleveland Police Academy class. The 43 graduates include 41 patrol officers – sworn in at a ceremony at Cleveland City Hall – who will be assigned to the neighborhood districts on basic patrol. The class also graduated two firefighters who will become fire investigators.

“Congratulations on your graduation from the Academy,” said Mayor Frank G. Jackson. “Public service is an honorable profession and it is the greatest opportunity to impact the lives of individuals, families and communities.”

Also on hand to congratulate the cadets were Council President Kevin J. Kelley (Ward 13), Council Safety Chair Matt Zone (Ward 15), Safety Director Michael McGrath, and Police Chief Calvin D. Williams. View photos of the graduation here. Check out a livestream of the graduation on our Facebook page.

The recruits were selected following a Civil Service exam administered for the patrol officer position. Candidates underwent several tests and a comprehensive background check before being offered conditional employment. They were given more than 1,100 hours of instruction in police tactics, criminal law, community diversity and crisis intervention training. As recruits, they received training specifically aimed to prepare them to respond to the needs of the community.

“These men and women have worked very hard to get to this day, and I want to welcome them to the Division of Police,” said Chief Williams. I’d also like to remind the public that the Division of Police is actively recruiting and hiring more officers.” 144th Police Academy Class at a Glance:

Number of Officers Race Gender
9 African American Males
4 African American Females
22 Caucasian Males
4 Caucasian Females
2 Hispanic Males
1 Asian Male
1 Asian Female

Thanks to the passage of Issue 32, the Division of Police was able to hire more than 200 police officers in 2018 and anticipates hiring an additional 100 officers and holding two additional academy classes throughout 2019. The new officers will expand the ranks to just over 1,600 serving neighborhoods across Cleveland. Those who wish to apply may do so by completing the police application here.

About the City of Cleveland

The City of Cleveland is committed to improving the quality of life of its residents by strengthening neighborhoods, delivering superior services, embracing diversity and making Cleveland a desirable, safe city in which to live, work, play, and do business. For more information on the City of Cleveland, visit online at www.city.cleveland.oh.us, Twitter at @cityofcleveland or Facebook at www.facebook.com/cityofcleveland.

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09.20.2019144thPoliceAcademyGraduationCeremony.pdf