Top Police Academy Cadets join the SIB Police Force
By Sergeant Lee Athanasiou, Training Unit, SIB Police Department

They are coming to serve you in our City of Sunny Isles Beach! And you should be very proud that they are because these two brand new police officers recently graduated from the Police Academy at the top of their class.

On Friday, February 23, 2007, Command Staff and other personnel and officers from the department, observed the ceremonial event of graduating class #246 from the Police Academy.

Police recruits Katie Hunker and Shepard Edelstein made us all very proud as their names were called for several honors and awards. Ironically, both received a similar award, that of the physical fitness honor; Katie being the best of the female recruits and Shepard crushed the male candidates. Hard work, determination and self discipline all figured into their plan. Additionally, Edelstein was selected by his own class peers to present the class address to the audience of family, friends, dignitaries and guests. He did a marvelous job and we were all very proud of him and impressed with his public speaking abilities. Even the guest speaker for the ceremony, Mr. Dwight Lauderdale, TV anchor for Channel 10 News, commented on the well prepared speech and message recruit Edelstein delivered.

And by the time you read this article, both recruits will have completed their state exam and certification, had been sworn in officially as police officers and already started their training phase for our department. This training will allow them to get hands-on experience alongside the police department’s experienced field training officers (FTO’s). The next four months will allow Hunker and Edelstein to experience the three different shifts (days, afternoons, and midnights) the police department operates on, as each one of these shifts has something totally different to offer. While riding on the different shifts they will also get the opportunity to ride with different field training officers and will learn from each one’s experience. In the last two weeks of their field training they will have to put it all together, what they learned at the academy and what they learned from their FTO’s, and show their final FTO that they are capable of doing this job on their own. As their training sergeant I have no doubt in my mind that they will exceed our expectations as they have proven to be the best of the best from BLE 246.

Please join me and all of our City staff in welcoming them to our wonderful city in service to you! Both of these officers will fill the shoes of retired and departed officers from our agency and I am sure they will do an outstanding job in doing so!
Congratulations Officers Katie Hunker and Shepard Edelstein.

Katie Hunker was born and raised in Pembroke Pines, Florida, where she attended Charles W. Flanagan High School. While enrolled in Florida State University, Katie interned with the US Secret Service. She graduated from FSU with a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice. She is currently engaged and plans to get married in summer of this year. Katie looks forward to working with the Sunny Isles Beach community.

Shepard Edelstein was born and raised in the Miami Beach area where he attended Miami Beach Senior High. He graduated from FIU with a bachelor’s degree in Hotel/ Business Management. He was a general manager of a popular Miami Beach Hotel for 20 years before he decided to make a career change into law enforcement. Shepard enjoys working with the public and looks forward to serving residents of Sunny Isles Beach. He has been married for 16 years to his wife and has two sons.

TOP