WILMINGTON, DE — Wilmington Mayor Mike Purzycki and Police Chief Wilfredo Campos announced on Friday the graduation of seven new officers from the 102nd Wilmington Police Academy. The event, held at the JPMorgan Chase Building, was attended by families, friends, and supporters of the fresh batch of recruits who are set to commence their duties with the Uniformed Services Division on Monday.
The inclusion of the new officers brings the total strength of the police force to just under 290, inching closer to the authorized strength of 312 members. Meanwhile, the department has already initiated the hiring process for the 103rd Wilmington Police Academy, with applications due by March 1.
The recent batch of recruits was selected from a pool of 51 applicants and represents the most diverse group in over a decade – 85% of the class is comprised of minority recruits. Additionally, five out of the seven recruits were already City of Wilmington residents at the time of their acceptance.
The latest additions to the Wilmington Police force are Shannon Fletcher, Christian Gonzalez, John Gordy III, Michael Leonard, Trasina Miller, Destiny Snow-Ramos, and Ayanna Thompson. These officers will each be paired with a senior officer who will serve as their field training officer for a minimum of six months, helping them gain practical experience on patrol.
The ceremony also marked the completion of the Academy for Steven Plank of the Delaware Capitol Police. Chief Campos commended the recruits for their achievements and highlighted the layered crime strategies training they received, which is a part of the Wilmington Police Department’s protocol.
Chief Campos acknowledged the leadership of Major Anthony Bowers, Captain Andrea Janvier, and the WPD Human Resources Division staff for their continuous efforts in enhancing the department’s diversity by attracting a broad spectrum of applicants from various racial and ethnic backgrounds.
The Chief emphasized the key elements of the recruits’ training, including procedural justice, law enforcement legitimacy, cultural diversity, and de-escalation.
Several graduates received special recognition for their outstanding performance during the 102nd Police Academy. Ayanna Thompson was awarded the Chief’s Trophy; Michael Leonard secured The Attorney General’s Award, the Academic Excellence Award, the Physical Fitness Award, and the Top Marksmanship Award; Shannon Fletcher received the Wilmington Retired Police Meritorious Award; John Gordy III received the Lt. James A. Diana Award.
Patrolman Ramon Diaz, a graduate of the 101st Wilmington Police Academy, was also honored with the Leonard Kittner Award, acknowledging his exceptional contributions since his graduation from the previous academy class.
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