This is the first day on the job for new detectives in Chicago: the first graduating class of detectives in the city in five years.

One of those getting assigned to Violent Crimes is 38-year-old Detective Kristi Battalini.

“I came from gang investigations. I was there six years, so I know a lot of the gang members and I have experience with long-term types of investigations. I think that experience is going to help me being a detective,” said Battalini.

Orientation for the new detectives at Area Central was conducted by Anthony Riccio, Commander of Area Central Detectives.

“I’m assigning 39 to violent crime investigations and three to property crime investigations. And I think that’s just a reflection of what’s been going on in the city lately with the trends. We’re concerned about the violence, obviously, and I think this will go a long way towards knocking it down,” said Riccio.

Riccio says never before have so many new detectives, proportionally, been assigned to Violent Crimes.