Graduate Alex M. Kaufman, of the Princeton Police Department, was chosen as class speaker.
WEST WINDSOR — A capacity crowd watched 51 new police officers graduate from the Mercer County Police Academy Friday during a ceremony at Mercer County Community College.
The officers represent several municipal police departments, college police departments and sheriff's department from seven New Jersey counties.
Seven of the graduates took the alternate route by paying for the academy themselves, independent of a police agency.
"Today marks the beginning of of what should be an extensive career in law enforcement,' Mercer County Sheriff Jack Kemler told the officers. "A career that is wrapped in a cloak of professionalism, integrity and a commitment to the public in which we all serve."
It's customary for parent or sibling police officers to present diplomas to family member graduates.
On Friday, that moment occurred for the DeAngelo family, despite retired Ewing police Lt. Edward DeAngelo having to use a wheelchair.
The elder DeAngelo, who has amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), commonly called Lou Gehrig's disease, made the presentation to his son Christopher DeAngelo, a new Ewing officer.
Also addressing the graduates were instructors Steve Notta, of the Mercer County Prosecutor's Office and Brian Amantia, the academy's acting director, as well as Acting Mercer County Prosecutor Angelo Onofri, Mercer County Executive Brian Hughes, West Windsor Police Chief Joe Pica and college president Dr. Jianping Wang.
Graduate Alex M. Kaufmann, of the Princeton Police Department, was chosen as class speaker.
The graduates, and their agency:
Nicole Andrews, Linden Police Dept.
Dagoberto Arteaga, Hunterdon County Sheriff's Office
Ashley Bryan, North Brunswick Police Dept.
Piotr Bystrek, Lawrence Police Dept.
Antonio Centeno, Middlesex County Sheriff's Office
Liz Centeno, Burlington County Sheriff's Office
Derek Daulton, Alternate Route
Chris DeAngelo, Ewing Police Dept.
Joseph DiLissio, Mercer County Sheriff's Office
Thomas Fazio, Middlesex County Sheriff's Office
Christopher Fernandez, North Brunswick Police Dept.
Dominick Fiore, Alternate Route
Cornelius Flemming, Alternate Route
Corey Fornarotto, Ewing Police Dept.
Rene Gordon, North Brunswick Police Dept.
Christopher Grossmick, Mount Laurel Police Dept.
Michael Gulden, New Jersey State Park Police
Shareef Hardin, Mercer County Sheriff's Office
Shane Hickey, Lawrence Police Dept.
Brian Hollenbach, Hillsborough Police Dept.
Nicholas Jones, Alternate Route
Alex Kaufmann, Princeton Police Dept.
Karl Kelly, Ewing Police Department
Ashley Kophamel, Middlesex County Sheriff's Office
Richard Lamont, Lawrence Police Dept.
Andre Lee, Princeton Police Dept.
Laura Lemay, Mount Laurel Police Dept.
Kale Mabey, Jackson Police Dept.
Toni Mahotiere, Princeton Police Dept.
Michael Mancino, Hamilton Police Dept.
David Massi, Alternate Route
Justin Mura, Hamilton Police Dept.
Jonathan Myzie, Princeton Police Department
Jake O'Brien, Middlesex County Sheriff's Office
Christian Paone, Middlesex County Sheriff's Office
Kevin Perkins, Hamilton Police Dept.
Jesse Peterson, Montgomery Police Dept.
Brian Popovich, Mercer County Sheriff's Office
Tiffany Reed, College of New Jersey Police Department
Alfonso Robles, Alternate Route
Wilfredo Rosado, Mercer County Sheriff's Office
Amanda Rossi, Hunterdon County Sheriff's Office
Michael Sheridan, Mount Laurel Police Dept.
Nicholas Sidotti, North Brunswick Police Dept.
Cagney Smith, North Brunswick Police Dept.
Kyle Stybe, Jackson Police Dept.
Griffin Sydorko, Mercer County Sheriff's Office
Lauren Tredo, Rutgers University Police Dept.
Carly Valentino, Hillsborough Police Dept.
Philip T. Waid, Rutgers University Police Dept.
Joseph Zucchero, Alternate Route
Kevin Shea may be reached at kshea@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @kevintshea. Find NJ.com on Facebook.