Freeholder Vice-Director Leonard C. Desiderio is proud to announce that the 38th Basic Course for Police Officers will graduate from the Police Academy at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, June 2, 2015. The ceremony will take place at the Middle Township Performing Arts Center, 212 Bayberry Lane, Cape May Court House, New Jersey. Vice-Director Desiderio will address the class and James Plousis, Chairman of the NJ Parole Board will be the keynote speaker.

28 police officers from seven departments in New Jersey graduated after completing a 20- week training program at the Cape May County Police Academy. The Academy is the only residential based training center in the state of New Jersey for municipal recruit training.

The class started with a physical fitness average of 78.91% and finished with an average of 92.14%. The Class final academic average was 93.40% and their firearm average was 93.14%. The class president is Recruit Corey Scheid of Lower Township Police Department who was elected by members of the class. The class motto is, “Remind the few, if ill of us they speak, that we are all that stands between the monsters and the weak.”

Individual Awards are as follows:

High Academic Award: James J. Allen, Wildwood Police Department – 97.95%

Vehicle Operations Award: Justin J. Meccia, New Brunswick Police Department – 26.965 seconds

Physical Fitness Award: Tristan K. Johns, Wildwood Police Department - 100%

Firearms Award: Travis C. Philhower, Palisades Interstate Parkway Police Department - 100%

Director’s Award: Jacob M. Harris, Wildwood Police Department – Overall Class Ranking #1