New Metro Police officer Corey Coaley hands his son Caellum, 10-months, to his wife after a graduation ceremony for Metro Police recruits at the Orleans Showroom Tuesday, April 4, 2023. With the graduation Metro Police added 57 new officers.
Tuesday, April 4, 2023 | 11:10 p.m.
As police departments nationally face difficulty in hiring, Las Vegas Metro Police swore in 57 new officers Tuesday.
The graduation, held at the Orleans Hotel & Casino was a celebration for the recruits and also their families who supported them through the rigorous training program.
“We live in a turbulent time,” Sheriff Kevin McMahill said to the standing room only crowd. “We live in a time where some people say bad things about the cops. We live in a time when people talk about defunding the cops. We live in a time where we lose more officers to suicide every year than to felonious conduct by suspects.”
McMahill said the new officers will need the support of family and friends throughout their career.
“All the love and support and time and energy that you have poured into your loved ones to be on this stage today, that is the very beginning of what they need from you,” McMahill said. “Continue to pour into your loved one.”
Vanessa Pacheco said it was an emotional moment to watch her husband, Corey Coaley, graduate. Her eyes started tearing up as she entered the showroom prior to the ceremony starting, she said.
As she held the couple’s 10-month-old son, she spoke about how proud she was of her husband’s accomplishment.
“He is where he needs to be,” Pacheco said. “He is the right person for this job. It is about your core values and being a genuine person.”
The recruits were picked out of hundreds of applicants. The class size started at 72 recruits and dwindled to 57.
It includes recruits between the ages of 22-years-old and 39-years-old, eight women and 49 men. Recruits came from across the nation, with four born in other countries.
Nine had served in the U.S. Army and four in the U.S. Marine Corp.
Previous employment included work in the service industry, an EMT, painter, Zamboni operator and a Chippendales model.
Fourteen of the recruits are parents, and 12 are married.
Many of the recruits were pinned with the help of family members who currently or previously have served in law enforcement.
The class valedictorian, Vance Ferron, was pinned by his mother, stepfather, brother and two sisters – all LVMPD officers.
Class Speaker Joseph McCusker said the class represented the motto “commitment”, while faced with unique challenges including the death of Officer Truong Thai. Thai was fatally shot while on patrol in October 2022.
“Many recruits were presented with a challenge that day as it gave a very real glimpse into the career they were entering, sacrifices they may someday be called to make and dangers they may someday face,” McCusker said “Undeterred in the face of this tragedy Class 09-2022 maintained their commitment.”
