Graduation Day For Dozens Of New Police Officers Hitting The Streets Of Southern New Jersey
By Justin Udo
CAMDEN, N.J., (CBS) -- Southern New Jersey has 68 new police officers who are fresh out of the academy and ready to patrol the roads.
The graduating recruits are as young as 19 and as old as 37.
"It's been a dream of mine since I was a kid, and to know that it's finally happening is I don't even know how to feel about it. I'm just excited to get started."
Officer Jae An from Cherry Hill says he's proud that he's going to the Camden County Police Department.
"I'm very excited, it's definitely a department with a lot of growth we're doing some great things right now and I'm excited to be a part of it."
During the day's commencements the graduates got to hear from a multitude of speakers, including Camden County Prosecutor Mary Eva Colalillo.
"It's also discouraging to see towns and cities where the relationship between residents and police have been fractured. We must work on that. We must improve it."
The new officers will end up stationed at one of more than a dozen posts, and they range from the Delaware River Port Authority to Burlington County Sheriff's Office.
