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KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Twenty-four new police officers will be on patrol around the Metro as we ring in 2017, including 18 in Kansas City, Mo.

Officers from Grandview, Liberty, Lee’s Summit, Kansas City and Raytown walked across the stage to loved ones to get their badges and start their new career in law enforcement Thursday night. They are sons and daughters, husbands and wives. One new officer is also the nephew of Kansas City’s police chief, Darryl Forte.

“He told me it was the greatest job in the world, and one of the greatest departments in the nation,” Kansas City Police Officer Jerron Forte said.

But since the recruits joined the Regional Police Academy in June there have been literal and figurative attacks on cops across the country.

“As part of that thin blue line you represent the division between chaos and order you must be prepared for undue criticism,” longtime DEA agent Jeffery B. Stamm told the officers.

They trained for six months on some of the most difficult scenarios: when to shoot, when not to, and how to protect themselves from becoming targets.

It’s a whole new world for former nanny, Joy Beseth.

“I wish I could say that I can handle absolutely anything. We’ve been told obviously it’s hard,” Officer Beseth said.

Officer Forte said he decided to leave jobs at restaurants and banking after last year’s spike in violent crime in Kansas City, including a 39 percent increase homicides. In 2016, there have been 125 people have been killed in Kansas City. The figure could end up being the most in a decade.

“I grew up in Kansas City. I’ve lived here my whole life, you kind of take it a little bit personal. this is a place I want to raise my boys and hopefully we can make it a little less violent,” Officer Forte said.

They took an oath to protect the city which concluded, “I will faithfully discharge all my duties as a member of the Kansas City police force, so help me god.”

“To you unsleeping sentinels who guard outposts of society, I salute you and I wish you Godspeed,” Stramm said.

Most officers will head out for their first shifts with a badge and a gun on New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day.