INDIANAPOLIS — Twenty-three new police officers were sworn in to protect and serve the Indianapolis area during a graduation ceremony Thursday, marking the final recruiting class to join the force under Chief Chris Bailey.
The officers are members of the 33rd Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department recruiting class and completed 28 weeks of intensive classroom training before their graduation ceremony.
The ceremony comes as IMPD continues to focus on recruitment of new officers. The department has faced challenges with dwindling force size despite increases in pay for officers.
Bailey said at Friday's graduation ceremony that he is confident the force is in good hands, with its first full-time female chief, Tanya Terry, taking over next week.
"There's a new generation of people that are getting that same call that all of us did at some point, those little voices to say service is your path, serving something bigger than yourself, giving back to the communities that have given so much to you," Bailey said. "That's what makes them the greatest generation."
The new officers will move on to 20 weeks of field training.
Incoming Chief Tanya Terry will be sworn in Monday morning to replace Bailey, who will take over as chief deputy mayor and chief of staff for Mayor Joe Hogsett.
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