The Imlay City Police Department is proud to announce the graduation of Javier Sanchez from the Oakland Police Academy’s 125th graduating class.
Javier Sanchez of Imlay City proudly received his Law Enforcement certificate from MCOLES (Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards) and The Oakland Police Academy along with 62 other police recruits from across the State of Michigan on Thursday, December 7.
The next day, Sanchez started his first day of patrol as an Imlay City Police officer.
In addition to undergoing a 16-week field training officer program (FTO) specific to The Imlay City Police Department, Sanchez will serve in the newly created position of Hispanic Liaison Officer to promote positive relationships and communication within the Imlay City Hispanic community.
With “an arguably a 40% Hispanic population that has been largely underserved until now,” Imlay City Police Chief Brett Selby says the Hispanic Liaison Officer position aims to build relationships between the Imlay City Police Department and the Spanish-speaking community, decrease the rate of victimization among the Hispanic community, and increase the level of confidence of those who are hesitant to report crimes.
In addition to these efforts, Chief Selby noted that next year in 2024, all officers will be taking Spanish lessons in house with a visiting instructor to better serve the community.
