68 new police officers graduate from academy — PHOTOS
In a ceremony at the Orleans Hotel on Wednesday, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department welcomed 68 graduates from the Police Officer Academy Class 11-2014.
New police officers recite the Pledge of Allegiance during the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department graduation ceremony for the class of 11-2014 at the Orleans casino-hotel in Las Vegas Wednesday, May, 2015. (Erik Verduzco/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
New police officers sit during the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department graduation ceremony for the class of 11-2014 at the Orleans casino-hotel in Las Vegas Wednesday, May, 2015. (Erik Verduzco/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo speaks during the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department graduation ceremony for the class of 11-2014 at the Orleans casino-hotel in Las Vegas Wednesday, May, 2015. (Erik Verduzco/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Spectators listen during the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department graduation ceremony for the class of 11-2014 at the Orleans casino-hotel in Las Vegas Wednesday, May, 2015. (Erik Verduzco/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Class speaker Isaiah Simmons speaks during the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department graduation ceremony for the class of 11-2014 at the Orleans casino-hotel in Las Vegas Wednesday, May, 2015. (Erik Verduzco/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Class speaker Isaiah Simmons speaks during the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department graduation ceremony for the class of 11-2014 at the Orleans casino-hotel in Las Vegas Wednesday, May, 2015. (Erik Verduzco/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Spectators listen during the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department graduation ceremony for the class of 11-2014 at the Orleans casino-hotel in Las Vegas Wednesday, May, 2015. (Erik Verduzco/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo waits to award new police badges to police academy graduates during the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department graduation ceremony for the class of 11-2014 at the Orleans casino-hotel in Las Vegas Wednesday, May, 2015. (Erik Verduzco/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo, left, places a police badge on the uniform of police academy graduate Russell Buchanan during the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department graduation ceremony for the class of 11-2014 at the Orleans casino-hotel in Las Vegas Wednesday, May, 2015. (Erik Verduzco/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo, left, looks on after awarding a police badge to police academy graduate Russell Buchanan during the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department graduation ceremony for the class of 11-2014 at the Orleans casino-hotel in Las Vegas Wednesday, May, 2015. (Erik Verduzco/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo, left, places a police badge on the uniform of police academy graduate Joshua Conte during the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department graduation ceremony for the class of 11-2014 at the Orleans casino-hotel in Las Vegas Wednesday, May, 2015. (Erik Verduzco/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo, left, poses for a photo with police academy graduate Joshua Conte during the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department graduation ceremony for the class of 11-2014 at the Orleans casino-hotel in Las Vegas Wednesday, May, 2015. (Erik Verduzco/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo, left, poses for a photo with police academy graduate Christopher Day during the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department graduation ceremony for the class of 11-2014 at the Orleans casino-hotel in Las Vegas Wednesday, May, 2015. (Erik Verduzco/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
An unidentified woman photographs police academy graduate Christopher Dihn during the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department graduation ceremony for the class of 11-2014 at the Orleans casino-hotel in Las Vegas Wednesday, May, 2015. (Erik Verduzco/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo, left, poses for a photo with academy graduate Christopher Dihn during the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department graduation ceremony for the class of 11-2014 at the Orleans casino-hotel in Las Vegas Wednesday, May, 2015. (Erik Verduzco/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Tana Gurule, right, sheds a tear after receiving her new police officer badge and certification from Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo, left, during the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department graduation ceremony for the class of 11-2014 at the Orleans casino-hotel in Las Vegas Wednesday, May, 2015. (Erik Verduzco/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
New police officers recite the Oath of Office during the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department graduation ceremony for the class of 11-2014 at the Orleans casino-hotel in Las Vegas Wednesday, May, 2015. (Erik Verduzco/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
New police officers recite the Oath of Office during the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department graduation ceremony for the class of 11-2014 at the Orleans casino-hotel in Las Vegas Wednesday, May, 2015. (Erik Verduzco/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
New police officers are sworn during the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department graduation ceremony for the class of 11-2014 at the Orleans casino-hotel in Las Vegas Wednesday, May, 2015. (Erik Verduzco/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
New police officers are sworn during the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department graduation ceremony for the class of 11-2014 at the Orleans casino-hotel in Las Vegas Wednesday, May, 2015. (Erik Verduzco/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
New police officers recite the Oath of Office during the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department graduation ceremony for the class of 11-2014 at the Orleans casino-hotel in Las Vegas Wednesday, May, 2015. (Erik Verduzco/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
New police officers recite the Oath of Office during the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department graduation ceremony for the class of 11-2014 at the Orleans casino-hotel in Las Vegas Wednesday, May, 2015. (Erik Verduzco/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
The Las Vegas police force just got bigger.
In a ceremony at the Orleans Hotel on Wednesday, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department welcomed 68 graduates from the Police Officer Academy Class 11-2014. Metro’s 2015-16 budget includes funding for just over 2,000 police officers.
A department news release reports that the class includes 20 new officers from minority groups. Also, 13 are former members of the military.
Fifteen of the new officers are college graduates, and 28 more have some college education.
