By Josh James
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wuky/local-wuky-998912.mp3
Lexington, KY – 27 new Lexington police recruits began training Tuesday, but it will be another eleven months before they hit the streets on their own.
One by one, the new recruits file past the mayor, police chief, and high-ranking staff. The process began with nearly 800 applicants. Now only 27 remain. Police Chief Ronnie Bastin says the recruits - men, women, African-Americans, Latinos, and Asian-Americans - represent a cross-section of the Lexington population.
"They're probably the most diverse group in terms of background and cultural skills that I've ever seen," Bastin says.
One of the recruits, Alejandro Zaglul, a native Argentinian, has lived in England and the Middle East and had a medical paper published at age 18. He says a love of the law led him to apply.
"I want something that is mentally and physically challenging and that, at the end of my day, I feel happy with what I have done," he says.
Zaglul says he's looking forward to the next eight months of classroom training and 15 weeks of street training.