The group was Chief Stan Standridge’s first, and the cadets were the first class to give a donation to a member of the community, Love & Care Ministries.

“It’s exciting to see that even before they graduated, they gave an example of what it means to serve those they protect by giving Pastor Mark Hewitt a love offering,” Standridge said. “These new officers embody what makes this community so unique — which is Christian values carried out through human interactions.”

The class is made up of 15 cadets — 13 men and two women. Their ages range from 21 to 41 years old. During the next phase of their training, the 15 cadets will be fully ready to serve the city after 16 weeks of training with senior officers on the street.

Not one but two graduates were the department’s first African-American women to graduate from the academy. A third generation officer and a married couple will also join the department.

Brittney Martinez, who is married to fellow cadet Paulino Martinez and one of the first minority women cadets, said she’s now just ready to begin working.

“I feel like I learned all I can from the academy, and now I can get out there,” Martinez said.

Brittney Martinez said she applied for the academy after her husband did. For Paulino, becoming a police officer was something he always wanted. Brittney said the two would have been excited for either one to graduate.

“We never imagined both of us would ever get the opportunity to work for the Abilene Police Department,” she said.

But having each other’s support during the 25-week training helped them, she said. The Martinezes are the first married couple to graduate from the APD academy, Standridge said. “We were both going through the same thing. He understood I had to study, and I understood he had to study,” she said.

As far as being one of the first minority women on the force, Martinez said she feels no different from the other cadets.

“I think it’s great that there’s finally (a minority woman) in the force, but I feel just like a regular cadet,” Martinez said. “I accomplished something, and I’m now an officer. I’m not special or anything, just blessed to be a part of it.”

Panya Washington, like Brittney, said she was excited and honored Friday night.

“It’s something that I decided to do within the past couple of years. My goals in life changed, and I decided I wanted to become a police officer,” said Washington of why she decided to apply to the academy. “I just wanted to give back and serve. I like people.”

Another first in the academy, Cory Davis became the department’s first third-generation cadet, joining his father and current APD Officer James Davis.

The third-generation Davis said becoming a police officer has been “the only real option for me and what I’m wanting to do,” he said. “It’s literally a fulfillment of a lifelong dream.”

This part-time, 10-month course is conducted in the same manner as the full-time, 20-week, Basic Peace Officer course.

The information/question and answer/background session are required for any interested potential cadets.

The final two sessions will be at 7 p.m. today and Thursday in room 104 of the Criminal Justice building, No. 113, on the CTC campus.

Information and background packages will be disseminated at each session. Also, a reading comprehension examination will be administered during the sessions.

Prospective cadets must meet minimum education requirements, meet minimum standards on criminal and traffic records checks and undergo a psychological examination, a physical examination and a drug screen.

The Extended Basic Peace Officer course entails 740 hours and provides the cadet with 23 semester hours of college credit.

It is designed to prepare the graduating cadet to take the state licensing examination to acquire a license to be a peace officer in Texas.

Individual blocks of instruction are presented in a variety of topics including multiculturalism and human relations, interpersonal communications, problem solving, ethics and professionalism, victims’ rights, Texas Penal Code, Texas Traffic Code, Texas Family Code, use of force law and concepts, firearms, defensive tactics, police vehicle operation, criminal investigation and physical conditioning.

Basic information about the course and enrollment qualifications and standards can be obtained through the CTC Web site, www.ctcd.edu, by typing “Regional Police Academy” in the Web site search box.

The course cannot be taken online and entails moderate to strenuous physical activity.

More information about licensing can be obtained by going to the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education Web site, www.tcleose.state.tx.us.