The newest class of police recruits started training today (Dec. 28) with a total of 10 recruits at the NOPD Training Academy. The recruits will undergo training eight hours a day, Monday through Friday, for a total of 26 weeks. Class #179 is the fourth class to launch in 2016.
Among the 10 recruits:
- 2 recruits are U.S. military veterans;
- 2 recruits have Bachelor Degrees; and
- 3 recruits are joining the NOPD from out of state, including recruits from New York, New Jersey and Florida.
With the launch of Class #179, this is the first time the department has trained three recruit classes at one time since the NOPD started recruiting and hiring again in 2013. Training is already underway for Class #177 which is expected to graduate in February 2017 and for Class #178 which is expected to graduate in spring 2017.
In total in 2016, the NOPD made 114 hires, hiring more officers than it has lost through attrition for the second year in a row: