Wilmington's Newest Police Officers Take Their Oath Of Office

Press release from the City of Wilmington:

April 30, 2021

Wilmington Mayor Mike Purzycki and Police Chief Robert Tracy today hosted a graduation ceremony marking the completion of the historic 100th Wilmington Police Academy, which began in November. The small, socially distanced ceremony was held at the Chase Center on the Riverfront for a small contingent of family, friends, and supporters of the 19 new police officers, who will begin their new assignments with the Uniformed Services Division on Monday.

The addition of these new police officers brings the total number of officers on the police force, which has an authorized strength – or budgeted police officer positions – of 319 members, to just over 300.

More than 140 individuals applied to become a part of this academy, and the academy class continues the department’s trend of diversity in hiring. More than half of the members of the class are minority recruits, including five Black males and five females – one Black, one Hispanic and three white. Of the 19 recruits, six were already Wilmington residents, and the others are in the process of moving into the City after graduation to satisfy Wilmington’s five-year residency requirement.

The new Wilmington Police officers are Colin Bond; Hakeem Brown; Krystal Cerezo; Logan Crumlish; Michael Davis; Zakiya Downs; Sayer Evans; Rosario Franzone; Thomas Geisel; Joseph Gervasi; Jessica Gledhill; Ryan Jacobs; Alexis Ludlum; Ryan Murzyn; Anna Pagina-Boyd; Antoine Reid; Bryan Smagala; Daniel Wilson; and Amir Young.

The new officers will each be assigned to work with a more senior police officer who will serve as their field training officer for at least six months to develop experience on patrol.

Mayor Purzycki said today it takes a special individual to dedicate his or her life to community service as an officer of the law in the best of times. “These are uniquely challenging times to be a police officer in America,” said the Mayor. “It is my hope that our new officers embrace the need for greater transparency and accountability as an opportunity to be part of an evolving era of police work in our City and around the nation. These new officers will now join the ranks the finest first-responders in all of Delaware. They have my admiration and support.”

Chief Tracy applauded the recruits for their accomplishments and spoke about the training they have received in each of the layered crime strategies that have been adopted by the Wilmington Police Department.

“These same strategies have brought about remarkable reductions in crime in Delaware’s largest city and are poised to continue that trend of making our community even safer,” said Chief Tracy.

He also highlighted some of the most important elements of the academy process – including training around procedural justice, cultural diversity, law enforcement legitimacy, de-escalation, and community engagement and policing.

“Community is at the heart of what we do as police officers in Wilmington. That is why each and every one of our 319 police officers – me included – is a community policing officer,” said Chief Tracy. “And we have worked, from the beginning of this academy, to help you become members of this community even before you hit the streets on patrol.”

Chief Tracy also acknowledged the WPD Human Resources Division, and the leadership of Inspector Charles Emory and Captain Anthony Bowers, and recognized the results of their efforts to attract a diverse range of applicants and to keep the application, selection, and training processes moving along amidst the challenges posed by COVID-19.

Graduates who received special recognition today for extraordinary accomplishments during the 100th Police Academy include Daniel Wilson received the Chief’s Trophy; Jessica Gledhill received The Attorney General’s Award; Rosario Franzone received the Lou Ghecas Meritorious Award; Sayer Evans received the Lt. James A. Diana Award; Jessica Gledhill received the Academic Excellence Award; Joseph Gervasi received the Physical Fitness Award; and Hakeem Brown received the Top Marksmanship Award.

Officer Colin Osler, who graduated from the 99th Wilmington Police Academy, received the Leonard Kittner Award at today’s ceremony, which recognizes the outstanding body of work on the part of a police officer who graduated from the previous academy class.

This press release was produced by the City of Wilmington. The views expressed here are the author’s own.