A new group of officers are ready to keep hospitals around the city safe.

More than two dozen graduates of the NYC Health + Hospitals Police Academy will be starting their new jobs next week.

Melvin Fason says the realization of a lifelong dream happened when he was handed his diploma Thursday.

"I wish my brother was here. He was shot and he ran around the corner from where he was, and a woman called the police, and the police came and they didn't get out of the car. I said, you know what, I'm going to make things better, so I'm going to take the police test," said Fason.

Fason is now one of 26 new special officers for the NYC Health + Hospitals Corporation. This is the first class to graduate from the police academy since it moved to its new home at NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi.

During the 10 weeks of training, they learned how to protect patients and staff. Some of the topics included first aid, the intricacies of the law, hands-on impromptu lessons and crisis management.

Fason is headed to Brooklyn to work at NYC Health + Hospitals/Woodhull. That is right by where he lost his brother, and where he hopes to honor his legacy every day on the job.