They are considered the 9/11 class: NYPD officers who had just entered the NYPD Police Academy when terrorists attacked 19 years ago, knocking down the World Trade Center, killing nearly 2,800 people. 

“I’m not going to lie, we were scared,” recalled Officer Sara Correa.

What You Need To Know

  • Despite little training, police academy recruits helped on 9/11

  • On 9/11, police academy recruits only had two months of training

  • Next year marks 20 years on the police force for 9/11 class

  • Officers in training on 9/11 received on-the-job training no other recruits had

The day before the 19th anniversary of 9/11, six women, who were among the police recruits sworn into the academy in July of 2001, met at Fort Totten Park in Queens. With very little training, they were assigned to the World Trade Center area to help in any way they could after the attacks. 

Officer Wanda Guzman said her academy instructors told them to write their social security and tax numbers on their arms because the buildings in the area were very unstable.

"That was frightening," she said. 

“I felt that God was giving me a sign that day, saying, 'Listen, if you can handle this, you are good for the job, you are ready to go.'" said Correa. 

From traffic to security to morgue assignments, they got on-the-job training that no other recruits ever received. 
 


“For us, it just made us so different because we had to go out there within two months of being in the academy and learn how to be a police officer," explained Detective Katrina Brownlee. 

Sergeant Jasmin Aviles said her worried mother encouraged her to drop out of the academy and get another job.  

Aviles said she wasn't a quitter and that she was needed by the department, as well as citizens.

This gathering is the first time some of these women physically saw each other since graduating from the academy, although they have kept in contact via social media.

On 9/11, 23 members of the NYPD died when the towers collapsed.

“I didn’t know if I was coming home, so I just want everyone to reflect on those that did lose their lives," said Detective Tanya Duhaney. 

Although the recruits were worried about their own safety back in 2001, they wanted to continue on as police officer in order to help others. 

“We make a difference. If it’s one person, two persons. And I have that over the 19 years," said Detective Shawline Senior. 

A bit emotional, she added, "Made a difference in so many people’s lives. A lot of people don’t understand that. But we do a great job, every time we leave our house, leave our family, we make a difference.”

It's a difference that started for them with trying to help on September 11.