May 25 – “Police Academy, Part Two”

Well, last night I went to police academy graduation number two.  I know.  That sounds like a movie title or something, doesn’t it?  The first one was at Galveston College.  We had two graduates at that one.  Last night was College of the Mainland.  Seaside had one guy in that class, Jamie, and Jamaica Beach had one other.  I have never met Joey, but he has a business in Jamaica Beach that is quite popular among the residents.  This ceremony was quite different from the one in Galveston.  The teachers were a lot more relaxed in their presentations, with a lot of bantering going on.  There was no “official” guest speaker, but each teacher had a chance to say something to the class.  The class president (Joey) was called upon to speak, but instead he introduced a video montage the students had put together of their experience.  The montage must have lasted 30 minutes at least.  I was sitting next to Sarah, one of the Galveston College graduates, so we had some fun making comparisons between ceremonies and wondering just how long the video could possibly go on.  We were also able to tell exactly where the friends and family of one particular cadet were sitting.  Every time his picture flashed on the screen, they cheered.  At least we assumed it was friends and family.  Either that or they were in awe of his tattoos. 

The video did finally end, and the presentation of the certificates began.  Several of the graduates already had jobs, so they wore the uniforms of their positions and received their certificate and had their badge pinned on them by representatives of the organization they would serve under.  One guy was presented with his certificate by his brother, who is a police officer in Los Angeles.  Another guy received his from a lady in uniform.  They never said who she was, just that police work was “family tradition.”  The obvious crowd favorite was the presentation from a retired police officer to his graduating granddaughter.  Touching moment.  Of course our favorites were Jamie and Joey, so we took care of cheering for them.  It was good to meet Jamie’s Dad after the ceremony, as well as a lady he identified as, “Joy, my best customer.”  The boy had some proud family and friends rooting for him. 

Psalms 91:9-13 says, “If you make the Most High your dwelling — even the Lord, who is my refuge — then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent.  For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.  You will tread upon the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent.”

Father, watch over Jamie and Joey and the rest of their classmates.  Keep them safe as they go about trampling lions and serpents for us.  Amen.