The Austin Police Department on Saturday commissioned 29 new officers from its 150th cadet class at a ceremony held at Bannockburn Church.

The graduates completed 32 weeks of training. Assistant Chief Gisette Gaslin Disher said the class began with more than 60 candidates and 29 “successfully succeeded in their goal,” meeting the department’s physical, academic and ethical standards.

The event’s keynote speaker, Clifford Brown, presiding judge of the Travis County criminal courts, praised community–police partnerships and urged new officers to use everyday interactions to shape public trust. “Treat people the way you wanna be treated,” Brown told the graduates.

Chief Lisa Davis administered the oath of office and told the new officers the badge should be “worn with courage, respect, and humility.” Davis urged the graduates to pursue their careers “with vigor, integrity, professionalism, and enthusiasm,” and to remember the impact a single response can have on a life.

Two class awards were announced during the ceremony. The Ernie Hinkle Humanitarian Award, named after the retired APD lieutenant, was presented to Jamie Orf. The Honor Cadet Award, selected by training staff for leadership and overall performance, went to Francisco Sara Tijerina.

The ceremony included a presentation of colors by the APD honor guard, an invocation by APD Chaplain Crayola Burns, a badge-pinning sequence in which family members accompanied each graduate onstage, and closing remarks from recruiting and training staff. The APD Citizens Police Academy Alumni Association sponsored refreshments after the ceremony.

Assistant Chief Gisette Gaslin Disher, Judge Brown and Chief Davis were among the speakers who addressed the graduates. Officer Andrew Maestas, the class president, dismissed the class at the ceremony’s close.

The training division and APD command staff were recognized for preparing the graduates. No formal policy actions or votes were part of the event; it was a ceremonial commissioning and recognition of new officers.