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After being welcomed by Port Authority Police Department leadership, the probationary officers — 225 men and 50 women, including 12 veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces — began a rigorous 26-week program at the academy at the Port Authority Technical Center in Jersey City.
The previous record class in the authority’s 86-year history was set in 2002 following the 9/11 terror attacks, when 235 recruits were trained to help the agency meet its growing security needs.
COURTESY: PAPD spokesman Joseph Pentangelo
Once the new recruits graduate and complete field training, the authority says it will have deployed nearly 500 new police officers, many of whom will be assigned to newly operational facilities at the World Trade Center.
“In addition, the new officers will help the agency move toward its goal of reducing public safety overtime,” PAPD spokesman Joseph Pentangelo said.
The course of study includes New York and New Jersey law, police procedures, evidence collection and traditional police training.
Each officer also will receive specialized training in counter-terrorism, firefighting and first aid, including the use of defibrillators.
“The record number of officers entering our academy is a testament to the priority we place on providing a safe and secure environment for the traveling public,” Port Authority Chief Security Officer Joe Dunne said. “Our recruits come from a variety of backgrounds and possess a wide array of skills that will help us provide the most secure environment for the millions of customers we serve.”
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