Apopka Police Department in perpetual state of growth

“[ I ] do solemnly swear that I will support, protect and defend the Constitution and government of the United States, the laws of the state of Florida, and the charters and laws of the City of Apopka… and that I will faithfully perform all the duties of a police officer.”

The Apopka Police Department’s three newest officers, repeating after Police Chief Michael McKinley and raising their right hand, swore an oath of office at City Hall Monday morning.

Officers Vincent Agostino, Tyler Lacen, and Genesis Katlin Barona repeated those words. Family, friends, law enforcement officers, and City Council members were there to witness the ceremony and support Apopka’s newest addition to the Police Department.

Agostino, 25, worked at Bartow Police Department and reached the rank of corporal before coming to work in Apopka. He was a field training officer and worked as a traffic homicide investigator. He said he became a police officer “to help those in need who can’t help themselves.”

Lacen, 29, was a specialist in the U.S. Army and was stationed in Korea, Thailand, and the Philippines. He previously worked for the Edgewater Police Department and the Eustis Police Department. He said he wanted to “help society” and couldn’t imagine pursuing any other career.

Barona, 26, graduated from the Seminole State College Police Academy and has prior experience working at a county jail. She said that in her youth, she drew inspiration from seeing police officers “helping and assisting the public.”

“Additionally, I was able to work at a county jail where I learned what transpired inside,” Barona said. “With that type of experience behind me, I decided to be a police officer so I can dedicate myself to helping the community I reside in.”

In the past nine months, the APD grew from 109 to 122 officers, an increase of 11.93%. Apopka’s per capita rate is 2.2 police officers per 1,000 citizens, which comes up shy of Florida’s average per capita rate of 2.33 per 1,000.

After swearing in the officers, McKinley said that the APD is in a perpetual state of growth. He said that if the $54 million public safety building on the table in the next 24 to 30 months passes, it could expand their reach and that they would likely be able to establish a “substation up north where all the growth is occurring.”

“In the big scheme of things, we are becoming a large police department and growing every year,” McKinley said. “We’re going to continue to grow with the support of our community and our business owners, commissioners, and our mayor; we can accomplish many things.”

Deputy Chief Jerome Miller said that police departments across Florida and the nation are challenged when recruiting new officers but value every officer that decides to work for the APD.

Mayor Bryan Nelson thanked the new officers and assured them that the city and its residents would have their back. Nick Nesta and Diane Velazquez, city commissioners, shared similar sentiments and let the officers and their families know they would be there to support them.
Each of Apopka’s new police officers shared one motivating element to pursue this line of work. Agostino, Lacen, and Barona each said they wanted to be able to help the Apopka community. The three newest officers received their police badges and accepted the responsibility of protecting Apopkans and upholding the city’s laws.