LCCC Police Academy graduates 17 cadets

Seventeen cadets from the Lorain County Group School Police Academy obtained their diplomas March 8 throughout a ceremony contained in the Stocker Heart Theater, 1005 Abbe Highway in Elyria.

The category accomplished 845 hours of classroom and tactical coaching over a 23-week interval.

LCCC began this system in 2002 and labored with the Lorain County Chiefs’ Regulation Enforcement Affiliation to develop it.

Since its inception, this system has graduated 672 cadets.

Cadets go away this system “with the data and expertise they should move the State Certification Examination required to grow to be in a peace officer in Ohio,” in accordance with a program handed out on the ceremony.

“You really are heroes inside our neighborhood,” LCCC President Marcia Ballinger advised the cadets in her remarks.

Six of the graduates already are employed by native regulation enforcement companies, together with Zackery J.S. Rice, who works for the Elyria Police Division, and Adam L. Rodriguez II, who joined the Lorain Police Division.

Rice, who was class president, mentioned what led him to grow to be an officer.

He mentioned it wasn’t to “put on a elaborate badge or drive a cool cruiser,” however as an alternative, to serve and shield.

“My cause is as a result of when somebody harms a toddler, when there’s a horrific visitors accident or when different individuals look the opposite manner and don’t know what to do, I’ll, with out hesitation, reply for the betterment of those that are relying on me to indicate up,” Rice mentioned.

He mentioned he felt his fellow cadets really feel the identical manner.

Keynote speaker James P. Firment, a police officer in Huron, took an uncommon path to a profession carrying a badge and a gun.

Firment and his brother owned an area automobile dealership, Firment Chevrolet in Avon.

However after they bought the enterprise, Firment, at age 54, opted to chase a lifelong dream of turning into a cop.

He attended the LCCC Police Academy and graduated a 12 months in the past,.

In his speech, Firment talked about what the cadets might anticipate of their first 12 months on the job.

He additionally surveyed the cadets he graduated with and requested them what recommendation they’d give to this group of cadets.

Two phrases caught out, he mentioned.

They’re, “Be good,” Firment mentioned.

“Numerous dangerous issues can occur when emotional ranges escalate,” he mentioned. “Your professionalism and quietness, in essence, being good, can resolve the state of affairs simply.”

Whereas the motion to “defund the police” has subsided within the two years since George Floyd was killed after a Minneapolis police officer kneeled on his neck for greater than 9 minutes, Lorain County Commissioner Matt Lundy made a reference to defunding the police in his remarks.

“In as we speak’s society, there may be a number of exterior noise,” Lundy mentioned. “We all know what we’re speaking about.

“I simply wish to say to you that’s foolish discuss, that’s nonsense, that’s complete nonsense.”

Lundy urged the cadets to remain centered on their mission.

“And to know this county, this neighborhood, the communities you’ll be serving, that households help you in what you might be doing,” he mentioned.