Saturday, 46 new, Baltimore Police officers will hit the streets to protect and serve. Among them is Cody Creed.
Creed's father has been a Baltimore police officer for 24 years. Creed told WMAR-2 News, thanks to his dad, being a cop is the only things he's ever wanted to do.
"I'm definitely proud, overwhelmed with emotions," said Creed.
Creed was a leader in the 2017-02 class of the Baltimore Police Department.
He said he knows has big shoes to fill.
"My father has 24 years on with the police department and I’m happy to follow in the footsteps."
Footsteps that have crossed the city as it has evolved and seen its share of challenges; its leaders working overtime to keep up.
"You come into this department at a very difficult time. Police officers are being judged all across our country," Mayor Catherine Pugh said Wednesday as she addressed the graduating class.
The 46 cadets, in their perfect dress uniforms, listened with excitement as Commissioner Darryl De Sousa, Pugh and their families cheered them on and encouraged them to bring their all to the department.
"I’m excited because of the new energy that’s infused into our department, the new ideas," said Major Marc Partee.
As Creed delivered the graduation speech to hundreds, he thinks back to the advice his father gave him growing up.
"He has always told me just to be who I am, he raised me right and told me to just follow my heart and everything else will just fall into place."
Creed said he and his class are excited to hit the ground running, to use their training to keep the streets of Baltimore safer.
"Everybody deserves to be able to walk around in their communities safer. So for me being the person that can actually stand between the people that want to do bad and the people that
are good," said Creed.
Commissioner De Sousa spoke about community policing at Wednesday's ceremony and urged the cadets to make it a priority to know and respect the people they serve.
