On June 2, 2026, Basic Law Enforcement Academy (BLEA) Class 935 graduated from the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission's Northwest Regional Campus in Arlington, marking the completion of 19 weeks of intensive training and the beginning of a new chapter in public service.
The graduates of Class 935 represent agencies and communities from across Washington state. While they arrived as individuals from different backgrounds and experiences, they leave as a team united by a shared commitment to serving their communities with professionalism, accountability, and integrity.
"Our class motto is Duty-Driven. Honor-Bound," said Class President Officer Reagan Ohl of the Snohomish County Sheriff's Office. "We are driven by our duty to our community and service. We are bound by morals, ethics, policies, laws, all that."
Training for Today's Public Safety Challenges
The Basic Law Enforcement Academy is Washington state's foundational training program for new law enforcement officers. Over the course of 19 weeks, recruits receive instruction in criminal law, patrol procedures, crisis intervention, de-escalation, communication, defensive tactics, emergency vehicle operations, firearms, and community-centered policing.
The academy is designed to prepare officers not only to enforce the law, but also to build trust, solve problems, and serve the communities where they live and work.
For Class Vice President Officer Alejandro Zapata of the Marysville Police Department, the training experience reflected the commitment of instructors and staff to preparing recruits for the realities of modern policing.
"The instructors and the TAC officers taught us everything that we know so far," Zapata said. "All the investigators and detectives who came here to teach us are giving us everything to make sure that when we go out there, we are doing a good job."
Ohl echoed that sentiment.
"It's been incredible to be instructed by all the TACs and instructors here," he said.
One Team, One Class
Like every academy class, BLEA 935 faced challenges, long days, and demanding expectations. Through those experiences, recruits built relationships that will continue throughout their careers.
"Over the last 19 weeks, we started as individuals, but have grown together, overcome hardships, and morphed into one team, one class," Ohl said. "It's been an honor and a pleasure to work with all of them."
Zapata reflected on the bond that developed among classmates.
"Thank you to all the recruits who are part of this team," he said. "We started as individuals, but at the end we know each other. We know each other's strengths and weaknesses, and we try to cover for each other. That's how it's going to be in real life."
The teamwork developed during the academy mirrors the collaboration officers will rely on every day as they serve their agencies and communities.
Ready to Serve
Graduation marks the end of academy training, but it is only the beginning of each recruit's public safety career. The members of Class 935 now return to their agencies equipped with the knowledge, skills, and professional foundation needed to serve Washington residents.
"Now that we are at the end, it's like, this is it. We are done. We are ready to get back at it," Zapata said. "Everybody is ready to go to their departments and start serving the community. We are excited about it."
As these new officers begin their careers, they carry with them the lessons learned at the Northwest Regional Campus, the support of their classmates, and a commitment to serving with honor.
WSCJTC congratulates the graduates of BLEA Class 935 and thanks them for answering the call to serve their communities.
Duty-Driven. Honor-Bound.