The Georgia State Patrol graduated from their 110th Trooper School at the Georgia Public Safety Training Center (GPSTC) in Forsyth on Friday, September 17. After 32 weeks of intense training and a three-week hiatus due to a COVID outbreak, 34 new soldiers will report to one of 52 patrol posts across the state.
First Lady Marty Kemp was the keynote speaker. Colonel Chris C. Wright, Commissioner of the Department of Public Safety (DPS), paid tribute to the first responders killed on September 11th. Lieutenant Colonel William W. Hitchens III, Deputy DPS Commissioner, took the oath of office. In addition, Lt. Col. Stephanie L. Stallings, DPS Director of Support / Administrative Operations, and Capt. Garrett Fiveash, Director of Training, notes.
Trooper Cadets spend 20 weeks at the academy and 12 weeks in field training. The Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council (POST) requires that all peace officers receive at least 408 hours of basic mandate training. Upon graduation from Trooper School, these newly graduated Soldiers received over 1,400 hours of training including driving, defense tactics, vehicle stops, Spanish, criminal law and proceedings, firearms, accident investigation, and various other training courses.
During his remarks to his classmates, Trooper Scott Curry, class president, thought about family and how it extends beyond the immediate family to his classmates and the training staff he went with on his trooper journey. It expressed the importance of the friendships that helped them through these difficult times.
Four of the graduates received special honors for top performance in various fields. The recipients were:
- Driving Skills – Trooper Jamie Allen
- Gun Handling – Trooper Zachary Goodman
- Top Gun – Trooper Cameron York
- Highest Academic Average – Trooper Cameron Reese
Trooper Reese also received a $ 2,000 scholarship towards a Masters Degree from Reinhardt University for the highest academic average (95.89) in his class. He already holds a Bachelor of Science degree in legal science. This fellowship is named after Cpl. Chadwick LeCroy, who was killed on duty on December 27, 2010. The university also awarded a $ 1,000 scholarship to each soldier for a bachelor’s degree.
In addition, the following graduates have been recognized for leadership roles: Trooper Bradley Gurganus, Vice President; Soldier Katlyn Reid, secretary; Trooper Vijaya Purugulla, Treasurer; Soldier Derek Long, chaplain; Soldier Darryll Fulghum, Sergeant-at-Arms; and trooper Joshua Powell, pennant bearer.
Each assigned soldier reports to the following assigned post:
| TROOPER | POST-PARTICIPATION |
| Jamie Allen | Article 16 – Helena |
| Jhordann Barker | Post 44 – Forsyth |
| Edgar Bellorin | Post 51 – Gwinnett |
| Thomas Bond | Contribution 42 – Rincon |
| Scott Curry | Post 17 – Washington |
| Aaron Deyton | Post 27 – Blue Ridge |
| Logan Edwards | Article 29 – Paulding |
| Seth Frady | Post 6 – Gainesville |
| Andrew Frizzell | Post 15 – Perry |
| Darryll Fulghum | Post 31 – Valdosta |
| Zackary Goodman | Post 8 – Madison |
| Cody E. Gordy | Contribution 32 – Athens |
| Bradley J. Gurganus | Contribution 42 – Rincon |
| Jorge Hernandez | Post 6 – Gainesville |
| Evan Johnson | Post 43 – Calhoun |
| Xavier Johnson | Post 39 – Cuthbert |
| Kenneth Jones | Post 10 – America |
| David Jones | Post 27 – Blue Ridge |
| Derek Long | Post 6 – Gainesville |
| Keith McCarty | Post 45 – States Boro |
| Joshua Nelson | Post 1 – Griffin |
| Brave Nunn | Post 2 – LaGrange |
| Joshua Powell | Post 30 – Cordele |
| Vijaya Purugulla | Post 2 – LaGrange |
| Cameron Reese | Post 45 – States Boro |
| Katlyn S. Reid | Post 30 – Cordele |
| John Reinhardt | Post 13 – Tifton |
| Seth Scriven | Post 21 – Sylvania |
| Brandon Simerly | Article 14 – Kolquitt |
| Marquez G. Styles | Post 1 – Griffin |
| Christopher Thompson | Post 36 – Douglas |
| James Turner, III | Post 45 – States Boro |
| Austin Lee Weaver | Post 3 – Cartersville |
| Cameron York | Post 35 – Jekyll Island |
