Rookies Armed With Optimism : Police: Graduating cadets downplay criticism of LAPD.

Graduating Los Angeles Police Department cadets Friday downplayed stinging criticism that has plagued the department over the past few years and vowed to help the agency strengthen its ties with the community.

With all the exuberance worthy of 56 new officers ready to protect and serve, the graduates of the Los Angeles Police Academy said they want to put behind them the negative attention swirling around the LAPD because of the O.J. Simpson trial, controversial raids in South-Central Los Angeles and the Rodney G. King beating.

“I think the media is always looking for problems, but all departments have problems,” said graduate Susana Padilla.

The graduates chose to instead focus on their own accomplishments and the opportunity to participate in a force that has made a commitment to improving community policing.

“You have to take the good with the bad,” said graduate Rosalind Iiams. “There have been some problems, but we are the representatives of the new force.”

Chief Willie L. Williams welcomed the additions to the force in a speech that celebrated Los Angeles as a diverse city and praised the department as “the best in the country.”

Police Commissioner Art Mattox told the graduates that they are joining the agency during an exciting and challenging time “with the eyes of the world riveted on the O.J. Simpson trial.”

“We must be supportive of all of our fellow officers, including our criminalists,” Mattox told the class, referring to department experts who have been under fire by Simpson’s lawyers for allegedly mishandling evidence.

Friday’s event turned into something of a family affair as several graduates were joined on the podium by family members also in law enforcement.

Retired New York Police Detective Dennis Harrington flew in to witness his daughter Stefanie become a fourth-generation officer--breaking tradition only by becoming the first not serving in the NYPD. The elder Harrington said he would have liked his daughter to carry the NYPD shield he inherited from his grandfather, who received it in 1902. Nonetheless, he beamed with pride beside her.

LAPD Sgt. Carl Widman had reason to be a doubly proud father. His daughter Karen was among the new officers and joined her brother, Daniel, who graduated last month. Karen Widman said she was not worried about the negative publicity focused on the department.

“It’s under scrutiny right now, but we have some really good people on the force,” she said. “People are going to realize that.”