Police Academy Class #167 brings diversity to Valley law enforcement
Entering a male-dominant profession can be challenging, and Mirayha Gonzales knows that very well, but she never gave up.
The 21-year-old Gonzales was one of the 38 cadets of the Basic Police Academy Class #167 that celebrated the end of their basic police training with a competition ceremony on Friday (July 1) at CrossCity Church.
Gonzales, who was born in Fresno and raised in Firebaugh, was recognized as the group’s top female cadet. She finished with a score of 550 points and was the recipient of the top female physical training award.
For Gonzales, it was not only hard work and dedication but constantly remembering why she was there made things easier.
Gonzales graduated from Firebaugh High School in 2019. She graduated from Fresno State in May with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice.
She entered the police academy in January and will join the Fresno Police Department.
Managing the academy and schoolwork at the university in the last semester was very challenging, Gonzales said.
“There’s a lot of times where I questioned whether I should you know pursue school or the academy, it has to be one of them. But then I told myself, I could do it,” said Gonzales, who has wanted to be in law enforcement her whole life. “You know, just constantly reminding myself why I’m here and my purpose. I knew that I wanted to make my family proud, and I did accomplish both of them.”
Gonzales, the oldest of five siblings, is the first in her family to go into law enforcement.
“I was like as young as I can remember, there’s not a different profession I wanted to pursue,” said Gonzales, who lives in Madera with her mother.
When Gonzales joined the academy, she knew she wanted to make a difference.
“I knew one of my purposes was to train little kids and especially women and show them that we could do it. That’s why I’m here. I want to show the women that it’s not just males that can do this,” Gonzales said of bringing more diversity into law enforcement not only a female but also as Latina. “We could do it too, as long as we put the effort in and the dedication and the hard work, but nobody else can beat us. And that’s why I’m here.”
On his first day on the job as the new president of Fresno City College, Dr. Robert Pimentel, presented the certificates to cadets.
“A I love the diversity of this class,” Pimentel said. “I love to see that.”
Fresno County Sheriff Margaret Mims, who is an alumna of the academy, was the guest speaker at the ceremony. She graduated from Police Academy Class #14 in 1980.
Of the 38 cadets, 35 have already been offered jobs at local agencies and received their badges at the ceremony. Agencies include police departments in Fresno, Clovis, Reedley, and Madera, also sheriff’s departments in Fresno and Madera.
Class #167 began their training on January 10, 2022. The cadets successfully completed the Academy’s 1,030-hour intensive format passing over 42 topical areas including criminal law, investigations, patrol and juvenile procedures, vehicle operations, traffic, emergency management, first aid, professionalism and ethics, physical training, and many other related subjects.
