Police Department graduates first class of student cadets

by Dave Jones
May 15, 2013

“Enter to learn, go forth to serve.”

This is the motto chosen by the UC Davis Police Department’s first class of student cadets, who today go forth as graduates of the 10-week cadet program.

“You are an amazing group. I’ve learned a lot from you — probably more than you’ve learned from me,” Chief Matt Carmichael told the cadets at last night’s graduation ceremony (May 15), held in the AGR Room at the Buehler Alumni and Visitors Center.

Carmichael had promised to provide scholarships to a California police academy for the top three cadets, and to offer one a position with the UC Davis department. In the end, the choice was too tough.

So he gave five scholarships, to Catalina Hernandez, Marquis Nicolis, Jose Pinedo, Kevin Rose and Manushi Weerasinghe; and offered jobs to three of them: Hernandez, Nicolis and Weerasinghe.

“Any one of you could be a police officer, and, if you choose to enter a police academy, you have my guarantee we will mentor you,” Carmichael said.

ASUCD President Carly Sandstrom said: “This program is something every UC campus should take on — training homegrown officers who understand students.”

Yolo County District Attorney Jeff Reisig thanked the cadets for their service.

“The highest obligation of our government is to keep people safe,” Reisig said. “I hope that, whatever else you do in life, you consider a career in public safety. There is no higher calling.”

The cadets are all graduating seniors with majors ranging from biochemistry and psychology to anthropology and environmental horticulture.

In the police training program, the cadets received training in evidence gathering, community policing and responding to an active shooter; and joined officers on campus patrols, including on Picnic Day. And, throughout the training, the cadets maintained a physical fitness regimen.

Sgt. Jennifer Garcia, who ran the program, thanked all those who helped, including the Cross Cultural Center and Diversity Education Program, the district attorney’s office and the FBI, and her colleagues in the Police Department.

“With our community, we did it,” she said. Turning to the cadets, she said: “I’m extremely proud of each and every one of you. Welcome to the family.”

Jordan Goldstein, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, spoke on behalf of himself and all of the cadets when he thanked the Police Department for a “fantastic opportunity.”

“The UC Davis Police Department epitomizes what community policing should be,” Goldstein said. “The officers gave us respect and helped us be the best we could be. Wherever we go, UCDPD will always be our home.”

Police Chief Emeritus Calvin Handy praised the program and Carmichael for setting it up.

“Matt believes in community policing, and he has built outreach programs to do that,” Handy said. “The cadet program deserves recognition for achieving the department’s goals of diversity and outreach to the community, and the cadets have had experience in a legitimate law enforcement surrounding, of what a career in law enforcement is like.”

Handy noted the foundations of modern policing, set forth by Sir Robert Peel in 1829, most notably that “the police are the public and the public are the police.”

“Nothing works better in policing than having proactive relationships in place with the community,” he said.