NYPD welcomes new class of graduates

NEW YORK - The New York City Police Department welcomed 300 new members as its most recent graduating class joined New York’s Finest on Thursday.

Getting to the celebration at Madison Square Garden was not easy, however, as the new officers spent months in the police academy undergoing physical and mental training, some of which FOX 5 NY recieved exclusive access to.

“We can literally say there is no class in our history that’s been better trained than you,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio.

“One of the challenges that they do face is working in communities that they might not be familiar with,” said Detective Jessica Romance. “They are though, very prepared. During their academic career at the police academy we instill in them the neighborhood policing program which teaches them how to talk to people in the community and establish those valuable relationships.”