WAYNE – The Paterson Police Department today announced nine new officers have graduated from the Passaic County Police Academy and have joined the ranks of the department. The graduates were recognized for completing the comprehensive training requirements of the academy during a graduation ceremony held at Passaic County Technical Institute.
“I am happy to welcome these nine officers who answered the call and chose law enforcement as their profession,” said Officer in Charge Isa M. Abbassi. “These individuals each come from different backgrounds to bring new perspective to our department as we continue to evolve to offer the best services to the people of Paterson. I would like to thank the Passaic County Police Academy for its continued partnership and training of our officers.”
In the academy, the new officers received 23 weeks of training covering a broad range of topics including criminal law, motor vehicle law, first responder instruction including CPR and first aid, opioid reversal training, use of force, handling incidents of domestic violence, working with individuals with special needs, firearm proficiency, physical fitness, and officer resiliency. Each officer has also completed an Integrating Communications Assessment and Tactics (ICAT) course, which provides law enforcement officers with the tools, skills, and options they need to successfully and safely defuse a range of critical incidents with limited use of force. ICAT became a requirement for all officers in late 2020 as a result of revisions to the state’s Use of Force Policy through AG Directive 2020-13.
The training does not end here for these new police officers. They will spend the next six months within the Paterson Police Department’s training division, where part of their first assignment will include walking a beat in an area of the city, getting to know what’s important to Paterson residents. During that time, they will also spend select days with a veteran Paterson police officer to gain valuable patrol experience.
The nine new officers represent the city’s rich cultural diversity with five Hispanic officers, three White officers, and one officer of Middle Eastern descent. One officer was born in Ecuador and immigrated to the United States. Four officers are fluent in Spanish, one is fluent in Arabic, and one is fluent in Albanian. Eight of the officers are male and one is female. One of the officers has a Masters Degree in Psychology and is also currently in the United States Navy as a heavy equipment operator.
The Passaic County Police Academy is certified by the Police Training Commission, the state-level agency responsibility for ensuring comprehensive training for law enforcement officers. Various academies serve the state’s local police departments to train officers for their new and demanding careers and ensure that they receive all required training to be prepared to join the more than 40,000 law enforcement officers serving New Jersey.