The NYPD is changing recruting tactics as it tries to increase the percentage of black officers on the force. NY1's Dean Meminger filed the following report.

The 800 officers at last week's police academy graduation ceremony were recruited with fast-paced videos. But Deputy Police Commissioner of Personnel Michael Julian says the approach is changing, with a new and friendlier campaign as the NYPD tries to recuit more people of color to better reflect the city's diversity.

"The message for the last 12 years has been action and adventure. The people who want action and adventure, they're joining the police department anyway," Julian said. "But we want people who are compassionate, who want to serve their community."

This week's new class of 1,200 recruits starting at the academy is 17 percent black, compared to 10 percent black for the January class, which just graduated. The NYPD says this is the largest percentage of African-Americans hired in a decade, but more has to be done.

"The black population in New York City is about 25 percent, and we should equal that or beat it," Julian said. "But we've always been underrepresented in black police officers in this city."

The deputy police commissioner says the increase in black recruits was partially achieved by contacting people who dropped out of the long application process. It can take someone four years after taking the exam to be hired.

"We reached out to them with phone calls, with letters, and in fact, we visited their homes to say 'Are you interested?' If we couldn't reach them by phone, we went out and visited them," Julian said. "We didn't lower any standards. We just told them we actually need you and want you."

He says 1,100 people were contacted. About 80 answered the call to serve.

In the new police academy class, black men represent 11 percent. That's up from 7 percent in the last class.

Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams said it's a start.

"It's moving in the right direction, but we cannot have inches in the right direction. We need yards in the right direction," Adams said. "We got to get, must get the numbers higher."

The department says that's exactly what it's trying to do.