DETROIT – Most people have attended a graduation ceremony before, but the pomp and circumstance and rigorous police training left Detroit cadets with knots in their stomach before Friday's graduation.
"I was so nervous," Officer Dana Ford said. "I thought I was going to mess up. It went smoothly."
Ford is from Chicago, but she went to college in the area and decided to stay here.
"I've always wanted to be a police officer, and especially downtown," Ford said.
She's one of 61 new officers who graduated Friday, all with the same routine: salute, smile, salute and walk off.
"So after we took a a picture, he asked for a second picture," Ford said. "We didn't practice this, but OK. My boyfriend is right there on stage.
"I was excited and nervous. Is he allowed to be up here? The chief is there, the captains. Am I going to get in trouble?"
The top brass was in on the special surprise, as Ford's now-fiance proposed to her on the stage.
Ford's fiance, Charles McKinney, said the proposal wasn't planned until Friday morning while he was waiting for the graduation to start.
You can watch Nick Monacelli's full story in the video posted above.
Here are more videos of the graduation and the engagement: