MARQUETTE — To serve and protect. More than a dozen new regional police recruits graduated today.

Sixteen weeks of training, 14 police recruits, with two of them being women, all graduated from the Regional Police Academy in Marquette. Family, friends and fellow men in blue were there to celebrate, encourage and give advice to those soon to be protecting the the streets. Although challenging, recruits say there were areas that they liked best.

“Shooting, firearms was a lot of fun says Matthew Gorski, recruit and new hiree for the Negaunee Police Department. Seriously, the commradarae that I built with my fellow classmates is going to last a lifetime and I am looking forward to staying in touch with everyone.”

Hermina Kramp, Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards tell the recruits, “Stay true to yourself, stay true to the badge embrace your community,  have fun and love the job.”

“It’s been a very long process and I just want to get going and learn the ins and outs of law enforcement and how to be a good cop,” added Gorski.

Up before the sun rises, miles of running, classroom training and scenario based training, these recruits say they are ready and excited about taking on the huge responsibility that lay before them.

Thinking back, Gorski adds, “I’d say that the hardest part is that it is a mental game, it’s a 16-week program and just knowing that you have to keep coming back and doing it over again is very mentally draining. We’d have to be at the PEIF at 6:00 AM and it would consists of a 3–5 mile run, lots of push-ups, sit-ups, we would be in the weight room, running bleachers, doing sand hills, it was very grueling and intensive but it made us better and stronger police officers.”

“I feel joy for them, I feel respect for them, this is a very difficult job that they have undertaken. I hope and pray for them that they are safe each night and they embrace the job and the community they serve,” continued Kramp.

Out of the 14 Northern Michigan University Public Safety Institute, Regional Police Academy Recruits that graduated, four have already found jobs.

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