The newly-formed Marquette University Police Department swore in 17 new police officers. A graduation ceremony was held on campus Thursday (Aug. 13).

Lt. Jill Weisensel was one of the graduates. She went through 520 hours and 14 weeks of training.

"It's just extremely gratifying,” Weisensel said. “I think I put this right up there with getting my Master's degree."For me I've always wanted to be a police officer since I was 3 or 4 years old.”

This ends the university's first step since its Department of Public Safety transitioned to a full-time police department on May 1st, which was also when they swore in their first 19 officers. 

"Now we have additional tools as sworn police officers that we didn't have as a private security agency how we were operating prior to May 1st,” said Police Chief Paul Mascari. “We're going to be a lot more efficient in our services.”

“We're not going to have to contact the Milwaukee Police Department especially for more minor things," Mascari said. "We'll be able to handle those on our own."

He said this strengthens their relationship with the Milwaukee Police Department.

These new officers were already part of the Public Safety Department. 

"This isn't a batch of brand new police officers. We have years of experience and between the 17 of them there's 135 years of experience here at Marquette," Mascari said.

Wisconsin's Attorney General Brad Schimel emphasized his continued support.

"We haven't ended our partnership with you when we signed the documents,” Schimel said.  “Our partnership with you continues and as Attorney General I pledge to you that if there's anything we can do to help you have the tools and training to make sure you get home safe at the end of every shift, I want to hear about it and we will try our best to make that."

The Marquette Police Department’s has a total of 36 police officers.