The Baltimore Police Department recently celebrated the graduation of its largest recruit class in more than a decade, reflecting sustained improvement in personnel recruitment and retention amid a significant decline in violent crime across the city.

On Thursday evening, 46 new officers were sworn in during a ceremony held at Zion Baptist Church on Harford Avenue. The event drew family members, friends, and police officials to recognize the recruits' entry into a law enforcement profession that has faced persistent staffing challenges in recent years.

Police Commissioner Richard Worley described the size of the class as an encouraging indicator of the department’s renewed momentum. “We’re having success, and everybody wants to be a part of success,” Worley said after the ceremony. He highlighted Baltimore as a city and department undergoing positive change, making it an attractive place for new officers to serve.

This milestone coincides with a continued drop in Baltimore’s violent crime statistics. The city recorded 44 homicides through Friday morning, down from 59 during the same period last year. Overall, the 2025 homicide count fell 31 percent compared to the previous year, reaching the lowest level in at least 50 years.

During his address to the new officers, Commissioner Worley acknowledged the challenges ahead, reminding them that the police role is often called upon during times of crisis. “People don’t call the police when things are going well,” he said. “They call us in the most difficult moments and sometimes on the worst days of their lives. That’s when your compassion, your training and your patience matter most.”

Among the new graduates was Officer Antonio Roy Jr., 30, who completed eight months at the Baltimore Police Academy. A native of the Edmondson Village neighborhood, Roy cited both family influence and a desire to serve his community as key motivations for joining the force. He expressed hope that his presence would help shift perceptions of police officers in Baltimore, particularly among children, emphasizing the human element behind the uniform.

His brother, Ashton Roy, who works with the Baltimore nonprofit HeartSmiles — a youth mentorship organization — noted that building positive relationships between officers and young residents can change attitudes toward law enforcement throughout the city.

The department’s recent progress in recruitment is reflected in a 47 percent increase in sworn officer hires in 2025 compared to 2024, with 241 new officers hired last year compared to 164 the year before. Retention rates have also improved; although 158 officers left the department in 2025, this represented a 14 percent decrease from the previous year. The department hired 70 more officers than it lost in 2025.

Commissioner Worley credited these gains to higher morale, enhanced recruitment campaigns, and changes to pay policies, including the removal of a cap on raises for officers with more than 26 years of service. Yet, Worley acknowledged that staffing remains below the department’s ideal, with roughly 2,087 officers currently on duty—about 400 fewer than desired.

Worley also observed a notable shift in recruiting trends, with many academy applicants now joining on the recommendation of current officers, marking a departure from past patterns. “We never had that in the past,” he said, underscoring the growing internal support for the department’s efforts to rebuild its ranks.