Philadelphia Police Department Holds Graduation Ceremony
By Steve Patterson
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The procession, the pageantry, the tradition. All in the last fleeting moments before cadets become officers.
Friday, Commissioner Charles Ramsey spent the morning overseeing the graduation of 39 brand new Philadelphia Police Officers. The rookie cops are hitting the streets Monday in two of the city's busiest districts.
With weeks of rigorous training, Ramsey told us it isn't 'placement' the Commissioner is concerned about… it's 'timing.'
"What I want them to understand is not everyone is opposed to police," Said the Commissioner. "Not an us against them situation, nothing could be further from the truth."
Class 369 is graduating at a time of great opposition, with the protests and demonstrations against police brutality almost daily across the country.
"I think everybody's a little nervous. If you're not, something's wrong there," said new Officer Robert Zubriski. "But I think we can all become one team and get everything accomplished."
Graduating Officer Edwin Perez echoed that, but says a little caring goes a long way.
"We're in an era where it seems like everybody hates the police, I can't even go on social media or even read news articles without reading the [negative] comments," he said. "If you focus on what's at hand and don't treat anybody different everything should be alright. If you treat everybody how you want your family to be treated."
With that kind of sentiment, Ramsey said he wants to make sure this new class understands respect but, doesn't feel persecuted before they hit the streets.
"People aren't opposed to policing, just bad policing," he said. "It's not an us against them situation, nothing could be further from the truth."
One thing the commissioner said needs work: diversity and recruiting. Only about 20 percent of the 39 new officers of Class 369 are minorities.
The department is about 33 percent African American and 18 percent Hispanic.
The rookies start their shifts in the 22nd and 25th districts on Monday.
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