Former LAPD Associate Community Officer becomes first to graduate from the Police Academy NR18237ti

Los Angeles: The Los Angeles Police Department will graduate its first officer to come from the Department’s “Pledge to Patrol” Program, also known as the Associate Community Officer Program (A-COP).

Recruit Officer Mariyah Delgado is the first Associate Community Officer (ACO) to graduate from the Academy and achieve the title of Los Angeles Police Officer. She joined the Department in 2017 as an ACO, and was assigned to Rampart Division where she worked for five months learning how to take crime reports, assist detectives, offer administrative support and aid in community outreach. She was hired for Recruit Class 4-18 in April 2018, and has completed 912 hours of training over the course of 24 weeks.

She is grateful for the program and feels it prepared her for the transition to Sworn Officer. She gained powerful insight into how the Department operates, and gained valuable experience working with the public and officers, which is an opportunity most new recruits do not have.

First announced in the Mayor’s 2017 State of the City address, the Associate Community Officer Program offers paid civilian employment to young people who are participants in LAPD youth programs, and are interested in joining the force when they become eligible at age 21. The goal is to identify and retain them, while offering them employment and training opportunities to ensure they are as prepared as possible once they decide to become sworn LAPD Officers.

Recruit Officer Delgado will graduate from the Los Angeles Police Academy on Friday, September 28th 2018. She will then return to Rampart Division, where she will begin her field training.

Any questions may be directed to Media Relations Division at (213) 486-5910.