By MyKala Guerrero
Last week, The Police Academy of Central Texas College (CTC) in Killeen hosted a graduation ceremony for 25 cadets who received their certificate of completion of the Basic Peace Officer Course.
Every cadet passed the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) licensing exam before the ceremony, with a number of the cadets being sworn in by their respective agencies on the same day.
The City of Copperas Cove recognized Officer Buehler for joining the ranks of Copperas Cove Police Department.
Buehler, along with his other classmates, will now begin a training period in the field at their new agencies.
For many of the cadets, it was a dream fulfilled of what they believe was a calling placed on their lives to carry the badge.
Program coordinator, Lieutenant Clifton Osborne, presented the top cadets of Alpha Class with various awards for excellence, including the recently renamed award of the Honor Graduate.
Elijah Garretson’s Academic Excellence Award was presented in honor of Officer Elijah Garretson, who was killed in the line of duty on January 11th, 2026. Officer Garretson graduated from the Central Texas College Police Academy as a member of the Basic Peace Officer Course of June of 2025.
A special message for the graduating class played on the screens, while the voice of Elijah Garretson’s father came through the speakers.
“While I wish with all my heart that the circumstances were different, our family is deeply grateful that his commitment to excellence will continue to be recognized in this way. In this profession, you will not be perfect, none of us are. But you will have the opportunity again and again, to choose what kind of officer you’ll be. Don’t waste time debating it, be it. Elijah gave his life in service to his community, and while our hearts will always carry that loss, we are comforted in knowing that his legacy will live on in each cadet who strives for excellence and in each officer who understands that knowledge and compassion must walk hand-in-hand. Thank you for honoring him, thank you for remembering him, and thank you for choosing to serve. Stay safe.” Garretson said.
Copperas Cove Police Department Chief Eddie Wilson also shared gratitude to CTC for this distinction.
“I think it’s really amazing that they decided to do this, especially without any of us reaching out, saying ‘hey, you should do this’. They came up with this on their own, which makes it even more special. I know the family is appreciative, not just from the college, but just from the community in the Central Texas area: the support has been overwhelming. So it means a great deal to us that one of our own gets honored in this way, and it’s not just something they’re doing for this class, it’ll be ongoing for years to come, so it helps keep his legacy and his memory alive,” Chief Wilson said.
For citizens considering this profession, Chief Wilson also described the process for becoming an officer with CCPD as well as the support the agency offers to cadets.
“When you go through our application process, we’re only going to hang our name on individuals who are meeting the qualifications and the criteria to work for our agency. When you go through our process and we put you in the Police Academy, you’re on our payroll. So, it’s not just a sponsor, you’re an employee of the city as you’re going through the police academy,” said Chief Wilson.
“Because a lot of our folks that are transitioning from one job to another, or coming out of college, or the military, they need income too. To be here for 26 weeks, supporting themselves and their family, without any benefits, could be challenging. We want to make sure that they have those needs taken care of, so they can just focus on the academics and getting themselves licensed to come back and to help our community.”
There are currently two vacancies in the department.
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