Twenty-nine future law enforcement officers took to the stage as the graduating class 38-16 of the San Joaquin Delta College Peace Officer Academy earlier this week. Cadets of all backgrounds started this journey March 20, 2016 and are prepared to be the new era of law enforcement. While some of the cadets are in varying stages in their hiring process with different agencies, currently six of the cadets have been hired with local agencies. One cadet has been hired by the Tracy Police Department, one cadet by Pittsburg Police Department, two cadets with Stockton PD and two cadets with San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office. One of the new hires with San Joaquin Sheriff’s Office is longtime Sacramento TV news reporter Alan Sanchez.

After over a decade of TV news reporting, Sanchez decided to pursue his dream of becoming a law enforcement officer. Sanchez served as a TV reporter for the popular morning show CW31 Good Day Sacramento for over eight years and spent the last two years at KSBW-TV Salinas/Monterey. Sanchez is excited about becoming one of, if not the only, TV reporter turned law enforcement officer in Northern California. Sanchez will be giving the class speech.

Police Chiefs and Sheriffs from around Northern California are expected to be in attendance including Solano County Sheriff Thomas A. Ferrara, who will be the keynote speaker as this graduating class helps celebrate the academy’s 35th year. Ferrara was part of the first ever class at the academy.

There was a moment of silence to remember those who have been lost in the line of duty this year in California and there was a check presentation to the United Way of San Joaquin as the class raised money for charity.

The graduation ceremony was hosted at Atherton Auditorium on the San Joaquin Delta College campus, 5151 Pacific Ave., Stockton.