Twenty-two officers joined the ranks of the Chattanooga Police Department this week, an achievement they weren’t sure they’d reach this year.
The academy was the department’s only one this year. In recent years, the department has held at least two academies per year.
The academy’s first day was March 13, the same day the city of Chattanooga announced the measures it was taking to curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. From then until several weeks later, the cadets were expected to learn from home.
“I think a lot of us were excited to get started,” newly graduated Officer James O’Neil said. “You know, it was a lot of work to get into the academy, even So it was kind of a bummer. It’s like, ‘Oh, man. We gotta wait.’ But I think everybody bounced back real well.
“We had a pretty positive attitude coming in,” the 28-year-old added. “I mean, obviously, we’re a new generation, new academy. And our motto was, ‘Be the change you want to see.'”