OAKLAND — Even though it’s the smallest Oakland police academy class in years, the 17 new officers who graduated Friday were hailed by Chief of Police Anne Kirkpatrick as “the best of the best.”

Despite its size, the enthusiasm and happiness among the more than 200 people in the audience at the Scottish Rite Center ceremony were notable by the cheers and applause.

The new officers bring the number of rank and file in the department to 768. The department is authorized for 794 total.

The class was deliberately kept smaller than previous classes, which in some cases have had more than 40 graduates because the teaching hours have increased and the department wanted to give more individual attention and training to the recruits, officials said.

It was the first academy class to graduate since Kirkpatrick took over the department.

“I made a commitment to this city and to your fellow officers and all the members of the Oakland Police Department — we are a team,” she said. “My commitment was that I would only hire the best of the best — and you are that, the best. Welcome to the team.”

Several of the graduates have local law enforcement ties.

Class Valedictorian Jordan Wingate is the son of acting Oakland police Capt. Randy Wingate, who pinned his son’s new badge on him.

Kaitlin Hoyle’s father is deceased Oakland police Officer Murray Hoyle and her mother, Kim, is a former Oakland firefighter.

Danielle Juarez’s father is retired Oakland police Sgt. Ed Juarez and Officer Christopher Buckhout is the son of retired Fremont police Officer Jon Buckhout.

Besides Wingate, Hoyle, Juarez and Buckhout, the other new officers are Matthew Beadle, Dejon Brantley, Columbus Do, Daniel Estrada, Emilio Gonzalez, Matthew Hohn, Jebel Iniguez, DeMario Lee, Perla Ortiz Salas, Hiep Pham, Cristobal Reyes, Edward Webb IV, and Kevin Yoo.