A FUTURE AS COPS? BRATTON TO GRADS: 'WE NEED YOU'.

Byline: Lisa M. Sodders Staff Writer

The Los Angeles Police Academy Magnet School graduated 125 cadets Friday, with hopes that many of them will eventually go on to careers in law enforcement where new officers are in demand.

Los Angeles Police Department Chief William Bratton praised the high school graduates for their hard work and dedication, and said he hoped many of them would return and become LAPD officers.

``We need you,'' he said. ``The city needs you. Your country needs you. You are the best and the brightest we could hope to obtain.''

More than 1,000 people, including proud parents armed with video cameras, bouquets and balloons, attended the ceremony at the academy at Elysian Park.

The graduates won't be eligible to become police officers until they're 21 years old, so in the meantime, about 95 percent of the cadets go on to college when they graduate, and the rest join the military, Bratton said. Among them, the graduates won $600,000 in scholarships, and $35,000 more was awarded Friday.

The program, which has 1,200 active cadets, is in Mulholland Middle School and five Los Angeles Unified School District high schools: Dorsey, Monroe, Reseda, San Pedro and Wilson. This is the largest graduating class in the six-year history of the program. Five alumni are currently LAPD officers.

``Even if they don't end up becoming police officers, they have an understanding of the Police Department that the average citizen could never experience,'' said LAPD Officer Wendy Wollin of the juvenile division.

When Diana Ta, 17, of North Hills, first joined the magnet school program at Monroe High School, her goal was just to beat her older brother at the obstacle course. Now, she will attend California State University, Northridge, before she becomes a police officer. She was one of three cadets awarded a $2,500 scholarship from 21st Century Insurance.

``I think it gives me a challenge I'm not going to find anywhere else,'' Ta said. ``Every day, it's going to be something different, and I'm up for that.''

Lisa M. Sodders, [phone]

lisa.sodders(at)dailynews.com

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(1 -- 2) Los Angeles Police Department Chief William Bratton inspects the cadets, above, at the graduation ceremony of the sixth class of the Los Angeles Police Academy Magnet Schools on Friday at the Police Academy. Monroe High School's Diana Ta, below, stands at attention during the inspection. A total of 125 students from five high schools graduated.

David Sprague/Staff Photographer