Metropolitan Police Department: Chief Ramsey Welcomes 28 New Officers to the MPDC -Page 1

Chief Charles H. Ramsey delivered the following remarks during graduation ceremonies for Metropolitan Police Department Recruit Class 2000-7, held at the Bureau of Engraving auditorium in Southwest DC, on May 10, 2001. Twenty-eight new officers were sworn in during the event.

"To the members of Recruit Class 2000-7, to the newest members of the Metropolitan Police Department, I say 'welcome.' Welcome to the best, most exciting and most rewarding profession there is. And welcome to the finest, proudest, most progressive and forward-thinking police department I know of —the Metropolitan Police Department.

I want each of you to stop and consider for a moment just what you have accomplished in being here today. Consider that thousands of individuals dream of becoming Metropolitan Police officers, and several hundred apply each year to join our force. Only a handful of these people are able to pass all of the entrance examinations and meet the high standards we set for even getting into our Training Academy. During their 24 weeks of training, some recruits invariably drop out, because they have trouble meeting our exacting standards for physical conditioning, academic excellence and special skills. Out of the many who dream about one day sitting where each of you now sits, and pinning on the badge that each of you will pin on in a few minutes, only an elite few possess the talent, the desire, the motivation and the perseverance to make that dream a reality. Today, I am very proud of what each and every one of you has achieved in reaching this first step in your law enforcement career. And I look forward to continued success and even greater achievements from you in the future.

But while today is a day of 'new beginnings,' it is also a day to reflect upon our past, and the great and noble tradition each of you is now a part of. The path upon which you will walk has been paved by literally hundreds of thousands of police officers before you —officers in our Department dating back to the Civil War era, and officers in departments throughout our great nation.

The vast, vast majority of these police officers served quietly, out of the spotlight, without great fanfare or personal accolades. But they served honorably and steadfastly —they made a difference in the lives of those they touched. They are the foundation - strong and lasting - upon which our profession is built. Some of these officers became well-known heroes of our profession - through their exceptional bravery, valor or law enforcement excellence. They were thrust into extraordinarily difficult and challenging circumstances, and they performed with great skill and courage.

Still others, of course, have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to the community. They are the more than 15,000 police officers whose names are inscribed on the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial, just a couple of blocks north of MPDC headquarters - men and women who were killed in the line of duty, while protecting those things our citizens cherish the most: life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Beginning this week, thousands of police officers from across the country will be coming to DC to take part in National Police Week activities to remember the fallen heroes of our profession. The presence of so many police officers, from so many different agencies, is a reminder to all of us that policing remains a very dangerous job, a job that carries tremendous risks and requires great sacrifices — including, at times, the ultimate sacrifice.