Daniel Tepfer, Staff Writer
Updated 12:47 a.m., Saturday, October 29, 2011
BRIDGEPORT -- Several hundred people filled the city's Common Council chambers Friday night to greet the newest city police officers.
There were calls for `Fabio' and `Ashley' along with the flash of camera strobes as each of the 24 members of the 34th policy academy training class walked down the aisle of the chambers to be congratulated first by Police Chief Joseph Gaudett Jr. and then Mayor Bill Finch.
They were led by the Police Department's Honor Guard and retired police detective Peter Stevens playing the U.S. Marine Hymn on the bagpipe.
The last cadet, John Ballard Jr., was warmly greeted by his new boss Milford Police Chief Keith Mello.
"I stand in awe at the commitment and sacrifice you are making for us," U.S. Rep Jim Himes told the graduates. "The job you are pursuing is one where you will put your life and limb at risk for us."
Gaudett thanked Himes for helping to push legislation through the Congress to find not only this class of police recruits but a new class of 20 after the first of the new year.
"The reason you are here is to help people and give back to the community," Gaudett continued to the graduates. "I am asking you to always treat people like a member of your family because all these people are part of the community you serve."
Those graduating the academy were: Phillip Norris Jr., Michael R. Carter, Eliud Henry II, David W. Rivera, John Carrano Jr, Jonathan Duharte, Eric R. Schneider, Timothy Leonard, Jamie Jarrett, Daniel Paz, Fabio W. Pereira, Michael Stanitis, Christopher Zaleta, Marie Cetti, Ean Smith, Clinton Jarvis Jr., Thomas Harper, Ashley Taylor, Marco Brito, Jeffrey Franco, Albert Palatiello III, Sheldon Mayne, Adam Rozum, Paul Cari and Ballard.
Mayne gave the class address. He drew laughs from the audience as he described the ordeal the cadets had to undergo in the academy including being pepper sprayed and hit with a Taser.
The graduates received the oath from the mayor and then family members approached the stage area to pin the shiny silver badges on their new graduates.
Contact Daniel Tepfer at 203-330-6308 or dtepfer@ctpost.com. Follow him on twitter.com/dantepfer
© 2011 Hearst Communications Inc.