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Wilmington Mayor Mike Purzycki and Chief of Police Wilfredo Campos today announced the start of the 103rd Wilmington Police Academy. Beginning this morning, the 6 recruits who completed the comprehensive application and selection process will embark upon the department’s rigorous training program, and they have formed the latest academy class in Delaware’s largest city.
 
The 6 recruits were selected from among the 77 men and women who applied to join the Wilmington Police Department, and 83% of the class is comprised of minority recruits – including 3 Black males, 1 Hispanic male and 1 Hispanic female – in addition to 1 White male. This continues our trend over the past several classes of further increasing the diversity of our agency through our recruitment efforts.
 
“We are excited to welcome the members of our latest Police Academy class, and to help prepare them for successful careers in public service in Wilmington,” said Chief Campos. “I appreciate the continued leadership of Major Anthony Bowers, Captain Andrea Janvier and members of our Human Resources Division and Recruitment Team for their year-round efforts to recruit future Wilmington police officers.”
 
The Mayor and Chief congratulated the recruits on their selection following a lengthy application process, which included a written exam, physical ability test, interview panels including a Chief’s interview, and psychological and medical evaluations.
 
“I continue  to believe that Wilmington has one of the finest police departments in the country,  with dedicated men and women who use the latest crime prevention and crime deterrence methods to serve and protect the people of Wilmington,” said Mayor Purzycki. “There has never been a better time to begin a career in law enforcement in our City, as more and more members of the community come to recognize and respect the interconnectedness of public safety and public service. Today you take the first steps toward entering a noble profession and I wish you much success on your journey.”
 
The recruits will begin each morning at 5:30 a.m. with two hours of physical fitness, followed by eight hours of classroom time. In addition to studying Delaware criminal and traffic law, patrol functions and procedural justice, all recruits receive training in weapons, de-escalation and crisis intervention tactics.
 
“From community engagement and de-escalation to investigative techniques and legal matters, the Wilmington Police Academy covers a wide range of important topics,” said Chief Campos. “We are proud of this intensive training program, which is designed to prepare our future police officers for the different incidents they will encounter when they begin their service on patrol.”
 
As with past recruitment processes, members of the WPD Human Resources Division used a variety of means to share information about the process and encourage applications. That included members of the recruitment team attending career fairs and other programs at high schools, colleges – including Historically Black Colleges and Universities and the City’s HBCU Week – and visiting community centers to promote the WPD and to share information with those who might be interested in a career in law enforcement. Recruitment teams also worked with the faith community and other community-based organizations to promote the application process.
 
As this academy begins, the Wilmington Police Department is also accepting applications from already certified police officers looking to join our department. The deadline for applications is July 19; for more information and to apply online, visit www.WilmingtonDe.gov/CityJobs.
 
To learn more about the Wilmington Police Department’s hiring process, and to contact a recruiter about future hiring processes, visit here.