After 18 weeks of intense training and studies, the 16 cadets in the Pueblo Community College law enforcement academy walked across the stage as graduates Saturday afternoon, in a ceremony filled with pomp and pride.
The cadets spent the past four months covering a wide swath of areas necessary for budding law enforcement agents, from driving and shooting drills to videography, fitness and studies of the law.
Now that they have wrapped up their academy, the students are moving on, but many will remain in the area to serve the local communities.
“They’ve come together very well,” said Doug Parker, who directed the program. “They’re a great group. I’m going to miss them.”
Families, friends and local law enforcement agencies crowded into the auditorium at Montezuma-Cortez High School to see the cadets ceremoniously pinned.
“During the course of the academy, we have spent more time with each other than we have with our own families,” said Travis Aronoff, the student speaker. “We didn’t know it then, but we were creating bonds that would last a lifetime, and we were becoming part of a new family of law enforcement brothers and sisters.”
Durango Police Chief Robert Brammer was the keynote speaker for the graduation. He recognized retiring Cortez Police Chief Roy Lane, before passing on some words of wisdom to the soon-to-be graduates.
“Expand your comfort zone, and never be comfortable,” he said. “Once you become comfortable in this profession, you become complacent. Complacency breeds mediocracy. Challenge yourself every day – you will deal with people at their worst, but you must always be at your best.”
The program began in August. Parker said that their class was a diverse collection of students, ranging in age from 21 to 49 and representing a wide range of backgrounds and ethnicities.
Parker said he hoped to instill in the class a sense of “guardianship.”
“We always think about law enforcement officers in the warrior motif, and certainly that’s one element of their job,” Parker said. “But they’re also caretakers and caregivers and peacemakers.”
Trinity Taylor was one graduate. It first entered her mind to pursue a law enforcement career when she was named Miss Southern Ute about a decade ago.
“I think it started there, when I wanted to be part of my community,” she said. The program was nothing like what she had expected,” she said.
“I literally loved every minute of it,” Taylor said. “I’m kind of excited but kind of sad at the same time.”
ealvero@the-journal.com