Second class of peace officer candidates sworn in
At a Sept. 25 ceremony at the University of Rochester, 23 members of the Department of Public Safety became the first graduated class of sworn peace officers. Beginning Oct. 1, these officers will be an active part of the force, adding to the safety, enforcement, and investigative services at the University.
Taking part in the ceremony were New York State Lieutenant Governor Robert J. Duffy and Assemblyman Harry Bronson, who congratulated the new peace officers on their graduation, which required an additional 400 hours of specialized training this spring and summer.This training is above and beyond the 500-plus hours of basic and in-service training University Public Safety officers receive.
"I congratulate each member of the University's Department of Public Safety who graduated today to become the first class of University of Rochester's sworn police officers," Duffy said. "All 23 peace officers each put in an immense amount of work leading up to this graduation, and I thank them for their commitment to ensuring public safety, which is a top priority at all of our universities and schools across the state."
"Being the very first class of sworn peace officers places a special responsibility on these dedicated men and women," said Bronson. "These men and women have chosen this avenue of public service because they want to make a difference in people's lives. They have the burden of being the custodians of the honor of this department and this campus community. I know these fine officers will meet those challenges with pride to service."
The introduction of peace officers at the University has been a multiyear process. In 2010, President Seligman formulated a commission to conduct a comprehensive review of campus safety efforts. In August 2011, the commission—led by Ronald Paprocki, University senior vice president for administration and finance and CFO—made its recommendations, among them to pursue peace officer status at the University in effort to enhance the abilities and safety of University Public Safety staff. On Dec. 17, 2012, New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo signed legislation—sponsored by Bronson and then Senator James S. Alesi—allowing the University to move forward with the expanded peace officer authority. On March 28, 2013, the first class was sworn in.
To read more about peace officers at the University and an FAQ, visit http://publicsafety.rochester.edu.
Approximately 50 staff members of Public Safety's total 134-member force are expected to become sworn officers. The second class of 28 candidates, who will soon begin the New York academy training program, was sworn in at the Sept. 25 ceremony. This second group is expected to complete peace officer training by February 2014.