The men and women graduated Tuesday from the Essex County Academy to officially become officers.
[Ads /]
The diverse class included one woman who is no stranger to the force. She will now serve alongside her mother who is a sergeant and has been with Paterson police for 16 years.
They are the first mother-daughter pair in the department's history.
ALSO READ | Meet the New Jersey woman blazing a trail for female firefighters
Meet the 1st female Battalion Chief of the Hoboken Fire Department
"Considering that this is a male-dominated field, it's just interesting to see that by coincidence, we're the first mother and daughter, she has made a big change in the Paterson Police Department and I plan to do the same," Officer Waleska Herrera said.
Herrera has worked for this moment her entire life and studied criminal justice both in high school and college.
[Ads /]
As for her mom's best advice? Listen to you senior officers.
ALSO READ | Man, 91, recovering after accidentally being vaccinated twice in one day
Ohio man recovering after being vaccinated twice in one day
----------
* Get Eyewitness News Delivered
* More New Jersey news
* Send us a news tip
* Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts
* Follow us on YouTube
Submit a News Tip