Megan Erkoboni of Hamilton, who is joining the West Windsor Police Department, speaks during the Mercer County Police Academy’s graduation exercises on Feb. 13.
Mercer Police Academy graduated its largest class of recruits since its inception in 2006 on Feb. 13, with 81 cadets receiving graduation certificates at a commencement ceremony inside Kendall Hall at The College of New Jeresy.
The cadets are the 12th police class of the Academy, which provides a facility and resources to train law enforcement recruits in Mercer County. The academy is located on the grounds of Mercer County Community College.
Megan Erkoboni, a Hamilton resident, was chosen by her fellow graduates as class speaker. She spoke of the difference between strength, which she said each recruit possessed when he or she entered the academy, and toughness, which they acquired during their grueling 21 weeks of training.
Several cadets received awards at the graduation ceremony for their excellence in training. Steven Austin was chosen by his classmates for the merit award from the state Police Training Commission as the best all-around graduate. Paulina Halat received the academic award.
Anthony Robbins, Hunterdon County Sheriff’s Office, received the emergency vehicle operations award. Dashawn Cribb and Megan Erkoboni shared the physical training award.
Among local graduates were Jonathan Bag, Nicholas Brower, Brittney Fornarotto, Caitlin Grant, Abdelbasset Jibbou, Edward Lester, Christopher Messick, Nycole Miller, Mohamed Omara, Luis Ruiz Jr. and Justin Ubry, all of Ewing, who will join the Ewing P. D. Joel Adams, Jennifer Lynn, Jason Maloney and Marc Manfredi (Hamilton) will join the Mercer County Sheriff’s Office. Craig Conk (Hamilton) will join the Bordentown City P. D. Megan Erkoboni and Eric Woodrow (Hamilton) will join the West Windsor P. D. Sean McLaren (Hamilton) will join the Hamilton Police.
Peter Novobilsky (Hopewell) will join the Mercer County Sheriff’s Office. Dean Sawasky, Bartosz Chojnowski, Jose Corado, Mark Eggert Jr., Paulina Halat, Marcin Piegza, Alicia Tara and Matthew Ubry (Lawrence) will join the Lawrence P. D. Dashawn J. Cribb (Princeton) will join the Princeton P. D.
Rosemarie Addar, Steven Austin, Alberto Barboza, Ameera Blake, Jason Bouchard, Ciara Feliciano, Gloria Garcia, Estevon Gonzales, Jose Gonzalez, Brenna Grant, Olix Heredia III, Matthew Hutchinson, Sh’Quanah Lopez, Jorge Mejia, Nelson Nieves Jr., Christopher Ortiz, Domingo Perez, Miguel Torres Jr., Anthony Villanueva and Kanifah Wood, of Trenton, will join the Trenton P. D.
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