County Executive Tom Gordon congratulated the 25 graduates of the 38th New Castle County Police Recruit Academy as well-trained, modern day police officers at the Chase Center on the Riverfront in Wilmington Thursday night.
Twenty-three of the graduates will work for the New Castle County Police Division and two of the graduates will work for the Delaware River and Bay Authority Police since the County Executive recognizes the importance of supporting other agencies in New Castle County.
“I’m thrilled and honored to be here today to speak about the profession I love,” said County Executive Gordon, former Colonel of the New Castle County PD. “Today, you graduated and you’re ready to face the challenges of a modern police officer. You’re disciplined, well-educated and physically fit.
“You have learned and you have demonstrated teamwork and a solid work ethic,” he said. “The Academy staff and instructors have given you the necessary foundation for you to excel in your career in law enforcement, but the rest is up to you. Your career and what you will become is in your hands now.”
Gordon also congratulated New Castle County Public Safety Director Joseph Bryant, Jr. and Police Chief Col. Elmer Setting for the job they have done in making the NCCPD the “finest department in the country.” Bryant and Setting in turn thanked the Executive for all he had done to equip them with the right tools and funding despite hard economic times.
Keynote speaker Kathleen Jennings, Chief Prosecutor for the Delaware Department of Justice, in turn also praised the Executive, the Public Safety Director and the Chief of Police for implementing T.A.P.S. (Targeted Analytic Policing System), which had reduced crime in the County by double digits. She said that had significantly increased quality of life in New Castle County, and morale in the Police Department was at an all-time high.
Gordon, Bryant, Setting and Jennings were joined on stage by Col. Richard Arroyo of the Delaware River and Bay Authority Police Department to honor the graduates.
The following 25 police graduates received their badges before their family and friends:
Jonathan S. Adams, New Castle County Police
Matthew T. Arnold, New Castle County Police
Steven W. Burkhead, Delaware River and Bay Authority
Erinn S. Carte, New Castle County Police
Anthony J. Carter, Jr., New Castle County Police
Eric M. Christopher, New Castle County Police
Vladislav O. Doronin, New Castle County Police
Michael B. Eliasen, New Castle County Police
Adam M. Holubinka, New Castle County Police
Stephen Jenkins, New Castle County Police
Colleen Kearns, New Castle County Police
Michael J. LaPointe, New Castle County Police
Grigori A. Lopez-Garcia, New Castle County Police
Megan F. McCole, New Castle County Police
Michael J. McNasby, New Castle County Police
Corey A. Nicholson, New Castle County Police
Richard W. Parson, Jr., New Castle County Police
Amanda A. Pierce, New Castle County Police
Stephen V. Przeworski, New Castle County Police
Andrew P. Rosario, New Castle County Police
David L. Santiago, Delaware River and Bay Authority
Joshua Steele, New Castle County Police
Robert W. Windle, Jr., New Castle County Police
Donald L. Witte, III, New Castle County Police
Michael T. Zolnowski, New Castle County Police
Adam Holubinka was selected by his peers to be the class speaker, and he was also given the Chief of Police Outstanding recruit Award by Colonel Setting.
Holubinka thanked Colonel Setting, Major Matthew Jamison, Captain Ruben Martinez, Lieutenant Douglas G. Merrill, Sergeant Gerald Tatum, Corporal Glenn Davis, Jr., Corporal John Weglarz, and all of their instructors for their guidance, support, and knowledge.