Having completed the necessary requirements through Merritt College’s Administration of Justice program, nineteen cadets graduated on Friday, February 3, as part of the Oakland Police Department’s 190th Academy. Our ADJUS 110—Basic Course provides Peace Operations Specialized Training (POST) certification to students, which is the training standard for police officers, sheriffs, and other peace officers. The curriculum focuses on criminal law, firearms, arrest techniques, first aid, and physical fitness. Department Chair Elaine Wallace and Merritt Instructor Drennon Lindsey (who also serves as Oakland Police Department Deputy Chief) were in attendance, as well as Mayor Sheng Thao (a Merritt College alumna). The prevailing theme at the graduation ceremony was clear: the power to police comes with great responsibility, and officers must never forget the protect and serve principle emphasized so forcefully by our POST Academy instructors and trainers. I had the personal honor of presenting Officer Adrian Cuadra- Shomer with the Academic Achievement Award, and I was delighted to witness Officer Sandria Bolden deliver the first Valedictorian Speech by a female graduate of the Academy.
This article was included in the Merritt College College February 15, 2023 President's Report. To view the full report, click here.