New officers graduate from Albany's police academy

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- The Albany Police Department welcomed seven new officers on Friday after they graduated from the city's police academy.

The graduates underwent seven months of training, including simulating a response to mass casualty events, providing first aid, and studying criminal law. Department leaders said the training gives officers the skills they need to serve the community.

"We have to be prepared for the worst," Interim Police Chief Brendan Cox said. "We have to know that at any moment really bad things can happen to really good people. But we also have to be prepared to see the best in people. And we have to recognize that we can't look at everybody in the world as bad people. We have to look at everybody in the world as human beings."

Perspective officers must take a written test and meet certain age requirements before they are admitted to the police academy.