They came from all corners of the globe to join their brothers in blue.
The NYPD recruits sworn in at a graduation ceremony in Brooklyn’s Barclays Center today were born in countries like Nigeria, South Korea, China, Albania, Pakistan, and Somalia — and speak 59 languages.
Others came from less exotic locales like Brooklyn and Queens.
The new class of 1,159 cops was made up of 16 percent women. The racial breakdown is 53 percent white, 25 percent Hispanic, 12 percent black and 9 percent Asian.
Nearly all of them — 99 percent — have a college degree.
One graduate from Rockland County wore the shield of her father, who was killed trying to help people escape from the World Trade Center on 9-11.
Erin Coughlin, 27, was proud to honor the memory of Sgt. John Coughlin, who had served in the elite Emergency Services Unit.
“It’s an absolute honor. It was surreal — I knew he was looking down on me,” said Coughlin, 27, beaming. “I took the same oath he did. I held it together until we had to salute.”
Her mother Patty was also moved. “I’m glad she got his shield,” she said. “It’s amazing that I was at the graduation for him, and now her.”
The graduating class included the son of police union president Patrick Lynch. “It’s something I always looked forward to,” said 21-year-old Patrick Lynch.
His father said he was “extremely proud” to see the shield on his son’s chest.
Police Commissioner Ray Kelly praised Lynch and three other cops during the graduation for making a good collar in Queens while driving home from the police academy in September.
The four spotted a young man beating up another man in Bayside on Sept. 13, and intervened to stop the attack.
Lynch was one of many new cops who has the NYPD in his blood.
“Growing up, I had a lot to look up to,” said Officer Adam Torres, 25, whose father Felix Torres, 46, is retired.
“For many of you, this moment was a long time coming,” said Kelly. “Some of you dreamed of wearing this uniform from the time you were children.”
Kelly also hailed the recruits’ life-saving work during Hurricane Sandy.
Newly minted officer John Lattanzio was praised for walking through waist-deep water to rescue people in Bergen Beach, Brooklyn — carrying one person out on his shoulders — even though his own home was flooded.
The new rookies will protect half a million visitors to Times Square on New Year’s Eve.
NYPD recruits sworn in at graduation ceremony
This article
NYPD recruits sworn in at graduation ceremony
can be opened in url
http://newstrimming.blogspot.com/2012/12/nypd-recruits-sworn-in-at-graduation.html
NYPD recruits sworn in at graduation ceremony
