The College of the Florida Keys (CFK) celebrated the graduation of Basic Law Enforcement (BLE) Academy No. 81 with a ceremony on Oct. 28 at Coral Shores High School’s auditorium. Eleven cadets successfully completed the 770-hour training program. Upon passing the state certification exam, each will be eligible to become a Florida law enforcement officer.
Cathy Torres, director of CFK’s Institute for Public Safety, recognized top-performing graduates with special accolades. Class Captain Nicholas Pope earned awards for leadership and academics. The “PIG” award, which recognizes pride, integrity and guts, went to Cynthia Bustamante. Ricardo Moreno earned “Top Gun” honors for superior shooting skills. Physical fitness awards were given to Joel Luna and Bustamante.
Three graduates, Keven Guerrera-Martinez, Devon Peterson and Pope, secured positions with the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO). Sheriff Rick Ramsay swore them in as deputies during the ceremony. CFK’s law enforcement officer program satisfies the training requirements of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission. CFK is accepting applications for two upcoming basic law enforcement academies. One will be held at the Key West campus and the other at the Upper Keys Center in Key Largo. Both are part-time evening programs, running Monday through Friday, from 6 to 10 p.m., starting in January and ending in October 2023. Applications are due on Friday, Nov. 18. More information is at www.cfk.edu/academics/academic-departments/institute-for-public-safety/.
