The largest recruiting class for the SPD in years took an oath to join the force Friday.

Forty one men and women will now start 28 weeks of academy training, followed by 12 weeks in the field.

The Syracuse Police Department has seen a decline in their numbers between retirements and some younger officers leaving. There are currently 360 officers on the force.

This is also the last class of recruits that will not be required to live in the city for their first five years on the job.

Chief Kenton Buckner doesn't believe that requirement will be an issue, citing an informal poll that suggested most of these recruits would have signed up regardless.