Gwinnett Police Academy Graduation

March 3, 2006

Last night we experienced a police academy graduation for the first time. This was the 64th graduating class for the Gwinnett County Police Academy. When Emily worked at the YMCA in Gwinnett, a kid named Aidan used to come in, and over a few years Emily watched him grow up.. and even let him in without his ID card. (The sort of kindness every officer ought to recollect when tempted to issue a citation!) Emily's father talked to Aidan not long ago in the same Y, and learned that he was graduating from the police academy. When Aidan invited him to come, we got invited too. There he is below, second from the left, proud recipient of his new badge.

It was interesting to listen to the succession of speakers coming forward to congratulate the graduates and to give them their charge. Christian overtones were common, from the chaplain whose prayer invoked Jesus and and the Holy Spirit in addition to a Father God, to the administrative woman who concluded by asking that God place a hedge around the graduates. There was no doubt that we were in a Christian gathering.

Officer Blake Shaffer was voted by his fellow grauates as the spokesperson for the class, and his speech included plenty of references to inside jokes.. as one might expect after an intense 4 1/2 months of training. At the end of his speech he used a stock phrase I am sure he did not invent: Remember, it is better to be tried by twelve than carried by six. I don't see how that can mean anything except that one had better shoot first and stand before a jury of twelve to defend oneself than hesitate and be carried by six to one's grave. That struck me as a jarring note, although I don't doubt that several of these young men will need to make split second decisions about using lethal force.

There was also no mention of race throughout the ceremony, and nothing imploring these young men to be standard bearers for fairness in a diverse world.. This event was more about honor and uprightness.. without any doubts that such values could be perceived differently.

On a personal note, it was moving to see all these young men (and one young woman) advancing into a new stage of their lives. They stood there obviously proud to be moving into a new chapter of their lives, and I thought Aidan looked to be one of the most proud of the group. Emily and I avoid our own graduations as much as possible, but we too feel like we are graduating into a new chapter of our lives, and I think we would also hold up our hands and take an oath to administer our more bookish duties with honor.. as well as love.