FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA — Thirty new police officers are joining the Fairfax County Police Department after graduating Thursday from a six-month training program alongside eight recruits headed to other Northern Virginia law enforcement agencies.
The Fairfax County Criminal Justice Academy's 92nd graduating class included 38 recruits: 30 Fairfax County police officers, seven Fairfax County sheriff's deputies and one Herndon police officer.
The graduates completed six months of training covering firearms, defensive tactics, emergency vehicle operations, physical fitness and tactical response. They also participated in crisis management exercises and realistic scenarios designed to prepare them for situations they could encounter on patrol.
The new officers and deputies bring a wide range of professional and personal backgrounds to their departments, according to Fairfax County police.
Eleven graduates have served in the U.S. military, including the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps. Their experience includes flying UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, serving in Afghanistan and earning Combat Action Badges.
Other graduates previously worked as teachers, surgical dental assistants, Peace Corps volunteers, bakers, actors, television makeup artists and private security professionals.
The class collectively holds 17 academic degrees, ranging from associate degrees to doctorates.
Seventeen graduates speak a second language, representing 11 languages: Spanish, Tagalog, German, Mandarin, Arabic, Punjabi, Hindi, Urdu, Korean, Hebrew and Farsi.
Some graduates were born or raised in countries including Iraq, Qatar, Iran, Canada, Türkiye, Poland and China. Their ages range from 20 to 55.
The department also highlighted the recruits' interests and accomplishments outside law enforcement, including robotics competitions, Division I athletics, coding, poetry and music.
The Fairfax County Criminal Justice Academy trains recruits for multiple Northern Virginia law enforcement agencies, preparing them for careers in policing and public safety.
Additional information about the graduation is available in the Fairfax County Police Department's announcement.
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