The recruits came from all over the world, but on Tuesday morning, they all had one thing in common: they became NYPD officers.

“As I look out at this group, I see one of our greatest strengths — our diversity. It is truly something special: 25% of this class was born outside of the U.S. You hail from 41 different countries and speak 27 different languages,” Police Commissioner Edward Caban said.

Caban said the officers look like the city they serve, and Caban, who rose through the department’s ranks before getting the top job, once looked like them.

What You Need To Know

  • 5% of this class was born outside of the U.S., hailing from 41 different countries

  • The graduation comes as the NYPD has a new commissioner

  • And it comes as the department is dealing with high attrition

“At one time he sat in that aisle ready to throw his gloves up, so I think for the typical recruit it’s appreciative to see someone who has risen from the level that they’re at to a five star top level,” Keith Ross, and adjunct professor at John Jay College, told NY1.

The pomp and circumstance comes a little over a week after Caban was sworn in as commissioner — taking over for Keechant Sewell, the first woman to lead the NYPD, who had also proven popular with the rank-and-file.

Mayor Adams, a former cop whose tight relationships at the NYPD were reportedly a point of tension with Sewell, was also on hand.

“We’re partnering to make sure you have the best equipment to do your job, and to make sure that social media does not decide if you’re a good officer or if you’re good responding to a crisis or not — we will make that decisions in a fair way and give you the support you deserve to do your job,” Adams said.

That message comes as the NYPD has seen considerable attrition. The newspaper The Chief reported last week that while retirements and resignations have slowed compared to the first six months of last year, they are still higher than typical. From 2020 through 2022, the department lost nearly 10,000 cops, and hired only 6,884.

Ross, who served with the NYPD for 21 years, noted many of those cops, himself included, were hired in the early 2000s under federal grants that resulted in large police classes.

“They’re eligible for retirement and given the conditions that the typical NYPD police officer is now dealing with, it could sort of be understandable,” Ross said.

Those conditions include large amounts of overtime, which could be contributing to the number of cops resigning even before being eligible for their pension.

“A typical police officer that is maybe stuck working 40-50 hours of overtime every month might see greener pastures by maybe going to Dallas,” he said.

One way the city is trying to improve morale is piloting ten and 12-hour shifts, to give officers more days off.