The 69 polished recruits of Academy Class 443 lined up on the stage of the Santa Clarita Performing Arts Center at College of the Canyons in Valencia on Friday in what would be their final platoon formation as academy classmates.

After 22 weeks of rigorous academy training, the recruits pressed through an equally intense and meticulous formal class inspection by law enforcement executives just before the ceremony.

The ceremony was a formal transformation of Academy Class 443 recruits into sworn peace officers.

Sheriff Alex Villanueva presided over the graduation ceremony and delivered encouraging remarks to the 8 female and 61 male graduates and their guests.

Sheriff Alex Villanueva was joined on stage by Assistant Chief Ronald Iizuka, Culver City Police Department and Chief Carl Polvilaitis, Glendale Police Department in presenting the 69 graduates with their Peace Officer Standards and Training certificates. The graduates were then officially sworn in as California Peace Officers

In a special segment of the ceremony, Jonathan W. Buchan, LASD, was named the class Honor Recruit. This award is earned by the recruit who achieved the highest numerical average based upon leadership qualities, academics, marksmanship, and physical performance throughout the training period.

David M. Nohles, LASD, was honored as Academic Recruit, an award earned by the recruit who achieved the highest academic scores.

Each class of recruits processed through the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department College of the Canyons Training Academy, brings together a collection of unique aspects, qualities and experiences.

Academy Class 443 is a largely international collection of backgrounds, reflective of the vast array of cultures found within Los Angeles County.

Of the 69 graduating recruits, seven were born outside the United States in the countries Chile, Germany, Guatemala, Indonesia, Lebanon and Mexico; 11 recruits lived abroad in the countries of Cambodia, Chile, England, Germany, Guatemala, Indonesia, Iraq, Japan, Korea, Lebanon, Mexico, Netherlands, Taiwan; and 36 recruits speak a language other than English, including American Sign Language (ASL), Armenian, Indonesian, Korean, Mandarin, Pidgin Hawaiian and Shanghainese.

These graduates bring with them a large source of higher education (20), service experience in the armed forces (10), and backgrounds in law enforcement (5), and many come from families with a tradition of serving in law enforcement (30).

Congratulations, Academy Class 443.