Graduating cadets give decimated force a boost
The 27-member group is among the most diverse in department’s history
SAN JOSE — When 27 freshly minted police officers were sworn into duty Friday, the day carried an air of optimism that a San Jose Police Department, ravaged by steady departures for several years, is finally turning a corner.
SJPD Academy 28 is the largest graduating class the force has seen in at least four years, and marked a modest milestone of being the first class in at least three years to field more than 20 officers, a period that included a historically low class of seven last fall.
Police Chief Eddie Garcia lauded the class, but stressed that his ranks need much more reinforcement before the department can be approximately full strength again.
“It’s extremely positive,” Garcia said. “We’re not doing a touchdown dance yet, but this is absolutely moving in the direction we want to be moving to make this department great again.”
Academy class president Leonard Lumauig says he values being on the “ground floor” of the department’s rebuilding process.
“It feels good to be a part of that, to help right the ship,” he said. “My kids are growing up here, and what better way is there to give back to the community?”
Friday’s graduating group is among the department’s most racially diverse in its history: about one-third Latino, one-third white, 17 percent Asian and 10 percent black. Women account for three of the 27 new officers.
The new class is the first in recent memory to join the department during a time of rare labor peace, considering that the past decade was marked by unending political battles over pension, pay and disability benefits between the city and police union. Even the current cohesion came only after an agreement reached nearly two years ago was tortured through taxpayer challenges and a ballot election before finally being signed in February.
Since March 2013, when the San Jose police academy was revived after a multiyear budget freeze and graduated 43 officers, the infusion of fresh blood into the ranks has steadily declined. Interest in the department tapered off in the face of neighboring police agencies offering higher salaries.
For several years, the academy became a de facto training ground for those outside agencies, as fresh graduates or soon-to-be graduates were routinely poached with the lure of cash and contract stability. The new San Jose police contract signed in February includes a 20-percent raise phased in over three years, starting with a balloon increase of 10 percent in 2017-18, and recruiting bonuses.
“This is the beginning of the rebuilding of the San Jose Police Department,” said Mayor Sam Liccardo. “It’s great to have these young people who are excited to serve ... to be here at this time when the city really needs their services.”
But despite the rosier outlook, today just over 900 officers make up the department, a far cry from the historic peak of 1,400 in 2008 — considered low for a population of 1 million — and the first time in over 30 years that number dipped below 1,000.
Staffing projections last fall assumed academies of 45 officers, so while Friday’s 27 is relatively robust — with the next academy expected to bring in more — the road to recovery will be rough before it gets smooth.
“Not until we get academies in the mid-40s. That’s when we’ve truly arrived,” Garcia said. “We’re not there yet, but today is a great sign.”
Among the various rebuilding campaigns, a recruitment drive aimed at hiring back officers who left during leaner times is now underway.
“We’ve always been able to say nothing beats the police work here in San Jose,” Garcia said. “Now that (the contract’s) been resolved, that message has gone over well. We’re getting people who want to come back. Today is a testament to the hard work of our recruiting unit.”
Officer Katrina Atkins was the beneficiary of that far-reaching recruitment work, coming to San Jose by way of New Orleans after a stint as a police officer for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
“It’s a prime opportunity to be there when the department is growing,” Atkins said. “I see the possibilities and am excited to be here. This is a place I want to be.”