BINGHAMTON --Adam Koehler spent most of his professional career working with at-risk youth.

Now he'll be working with a much different group of young people as the newest patrol officer for Ithaca College.

Koehler, 26, of Cortland, is among 19 officers who graduated Thursday as part of the class of 2009 Broome County Law Enforcement Academy at The Regency in Binghamton. Graduates came from police agencies from around the region.

The ceremony started with a video montage set to rock music as drill instructors barked at the new recruits as they did push ups. Video clips showed recruits being chased down by dogs, firing guns at the range, doing cardiopulmonary resuscitation on mannequins, driving an obstacle course and learning in the classroom.

Koehler said he previously worked at William George Agency for Children's Services in Dryden, also known as the George Junior Republic, and Louis Gossett Junior Residential Center boys' school in Lansing. He said while there were times you restrain the teenagers, most often he would have to talk kids down from a problem.

"It helps you develop the ability to handle situations that get out of hand quickly," said Koehler.

Awards included:

Platoon Leader Award: Lucas Jeremy Walter, State Police at Binghamton University

Top Gun Award: Daniel VanWie, Johnson City Police Department

Defensive Tactics Award: Timothy Schmidt, Tioga Office of the Sheriff

Physical Fitness Awards: Walter did 349 pushups and shattered the old academy record of 184; Ryan Gross did 66 sit-ups in a minute and broke the old academy record of 64.

Mark Oliver of the Broome County Sheriff's Office serves as the academy director.