History made as mother helps swear in daughter at RNC graduation
A new batch of police officers will soon hit the streets.
The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary class of 2016 graduated from the police studies program at Memorial University Saturday, with 17 new graduates receiving their badges.
Janelle Marshall is one of those 17, and she, alongside her mom, helped make history.
It was the first time a mother helped swear her daughter into the force.
"I mean it will be remembered forever. It's just an overwhelming feeling," Marshall said.
"We train all year for this, so this is definitely the best day of my life."
Marshall said she decided to be a police officer when she was in Grade 1. It was after 9/11 and she and her mother were in the supermarket.
"Someone came up to her and said 'thanks for everything that you do,' and after that I really decided I wanted to be just like my mom."
This graduation is special for another reason, too. It was the first time in 12 years more women than men convocated, Police Chief William Janes said.
"It's certainly a good step forward for us as an organization and something we're very proud of," he said.
And while the nine female graduates already outnumbered the men, after the swearing in, another woman was added into the RNC family.
Trevor Kennedy, 24, proposed to his girlfriend, Samantha Hearn, with his fellow cadets standing behind him.
"Oh she said yes," he said through smiles and laughter.
Kennedy and his fellow proposal planning police officers start work in a week.
