DETROIT (WWJ) – It’s a big day for many newly sworn in Detroit police officers.

WWJ’s Pat Sweeting reports that 23 new officers were sworn in after completing training at the police academy and one of those new officers is also an ordained minister.

He waited two years for notification that he’d be entering the Detroit police academy, now Antonio Palmer an ordained minister, wears the silver badge of a Detroit police officer.

“The city needs some people who are going to stand up, not just put hand-cuffs on, but reach out and try to bridge this chasm between the public and the department,” said Palmer.

Palmers’ dad was at his swearing-in and said God has put him where he is supposed to be.

For Dearborn Police Col. Jerry Blevins watching Kevin Doyle one of his former ‘Police Explorers’, take his oath as a Detroit Police Officer was very gratifying:

“I think he’s well-balanced, he’s fair, I think he’s unbiased, unprejudiced …I think he’s going to take every event that he comes across with, and learn from it,” said Blevins.

For new officer Doyle, wearing the DPD uniform and badge is about more than just chasing down the law-breakers: “It’s about constantly doing the right thing, it’s not always about locking up the bad guys … it’s about showing up and putting in 100 percent effort, and to make sure the citizens really get the policing they deserve,” said Doyle.

The new recruits were sworn in at Second Ebeneezer Baptist Church in Detroit.