Police Chief Bill Hogan, Vice Mayor Jan Davis and City Manager Gary Jackson will speak at the ceremony, which will also include the APD�s Honor Guard and the A.C Reynolds High School Madrigal Singers.

A reception will follow.

The APD has run its own police academy since 2005. The academy is sanctioned by the North Carolina Criminal Justice Education and Training Standards Commission. The state portion of the academy, commonly known as BLET (Basic Law Enforcement Training), consists of 35 blocks of instruction and 624 hours of training. Each cadet must pass a written exam on each block of instruction to remain in the class.

Cadets must also complete several physical and practical tasks and pass all six sections of an exam administered by Training Standards.

�Every one of our cadets� hard work paid off, as all of them passed the state exam on their first attempt,� said Lt. Gary Gudac, the APD�s recruitment and training director. �This really shows that our hiring process works and that we have great instructors who give something extra.�

Upon graduation, the cadets will be assigned to a Field Training Officer in the department before being allowed to patrol on their own.

�The field training process is one of the most important,� Gudac said. �This is the time where the officer goes from a classroom environment to a one-on-one environment in which the officer has to demonstrate on a daily basis their ability to perform this job.�

The APD�s next academy will begin in March. Those interested in a law enforcement career with the department should call 259-5934.

APD Police Academy graduates:

Phil Allen