Henrico Police welcome 7 academy graduates

Henrico Police officials celebrated the graduation of seven new members of the force Nov. 3 during a ceremony for the 75th Basic Henrico Police Academy.

The new officers – Rachel Barbour, William Breeding, Larry James, Jr., Cameron Liso, Tyree Miller, Leighann Patterson and Elizabeth Tosick – now will undergo 300 hours of field training as part of their post-academy expectations.

It was the first time in a number of years that the academy (a 32-week training process) included more women than men, according to the division.

The officers are one of the most diverse graduating academies in recent years, police officials said – a fact they attributed to increased recruiting efforts through the division’s Personnel Unit.

“Diversity within our Police Division is one of the keys to better serving our community,” said Henrico Chief of Police Eric English. “The ability for our officers to form those relationships between our community members, business owners, etc. of all backgrounds is imperative to creating a safe county to live, work and play.”