The Gist: The newest batch of Georgia State Troopers completed their 32-week training journey, graduating in a ceremony featuring an address by Governor Brian Kemp. Four standout graduates received special honors, while the second annual Patrick Dupree Leadership Award marked a poignant moment for the occasion.
What Happened?: The Public Safety Training Center in Forsyth was a hive of pride and anticipation on September 8, as 37 new Troopers joined the ranks of the Georgia State Patrol. The 114th Trooper School graduation ceremony showcased remarks by key figures, including Governor Brian Kemp and Deputy Commissioner of the Department of Public Safety, Lt. Colonel Billy Hitchens.
By The Numbers:
- 32 weeks of rigorous training
- 37 new Troopers
- 1,400-plus hours of diverse training, far surpassing the state-required 408 hours
- Four special proficiency honors awarded
Why It Matters: This is about more than uniforms and patrol cars. These Troopers go through intense training to protect and serve Georgia communities. They’re well above the state-required 408 hours of Basic Mandate Training by the Peace Officer Standards and Training Council. These officers are proficient in everything from criminal law to Spanish.
Special Honors:
- Driving Proficiency: Douglas Hughes
- Firearms Proficiency: Aaron Guillaume
- Top Gun and Highest Academic Average: Jacob Stansell
Stansell, who scored an academic average of 98.07, also received the CPL Chadwick LeCroy scholarship for higher education.
In Memoriam: The Patrick Dupree Leadership Award went to Trooper Robert Merrell. The award gains special prominence this year, marking the passing of Cadet Patrick Dupree, who died on the very date of this graduation last year during training.
What’s Next? The new Troopers will soon hit the roads and highways of Georgia, reporting to one of the 52 patrol posts around the state. Their journey, in the words of Class President Andy Benjamin, is “truly just beginning.”
The Troopers: Here are Georgia’s newest state troopers.
| Trooper’s Name | Hometown | Assigned Post |
| Justus Alicea | Richmond County, GA | Post 25-Grovetown |
| Rachel Anderson | Houston County, GA | Post 15-Perry |
| Derrickal Bell | Mitchell County, GA | Post 48-Atlanta |
| Andy Benjamin Jr. | Evans County, GA | Post 16-Hazelhurst |
| James Byrne | Harris County, GA | Post 2-LaGrange |
| Jimmy Cenescar | Orange County, FL. | Post 9-Marietta |
| Levi Champion | Pickens County, GA | Post 3-Cartersville |
| Calvin Cobb | Tattnall County, GA | Post 18-Reidsville |
| Rebecca Crawford | Gwinnett County, GA | Post 6-Gainesville |
| Tyrique Fuller | Lee County, AL | Post 24-Newnan |
| Aaron Guillaume | Muscogee County, GA | Post -LaGrange |
| Karson Gunkle | Collier County, FL | Post 9-Marietta |
| Johnathan Hammond | Conecuh County, AL | Post 21-Sylvania |
| Russell Holman IV | Forsyth County, GA | Post 37-Cumming |
| Andrae’ Holmes | Bibb County, GA | Post 44-Forsyth |
| Douglas Hughes Jr. | Forsyth County, GA | Post 32-Athens |
| Devin Hunter | Stevens County, GA | Post 07-Toccoa |
| Greer Huss | Orange County, FL. | Post 27-Blue Ridge |
| Jonathon King | Catoosa County, GA | Post 5-Dalton |
| Alfred McCoy | Bibb County, GA | Post 15-Perry |
| Levi McMurtry | Columbia County, GA | Post 25-Grovetown |
| Robert Merrell Jr. | Dooly County, GA | Post 44-Forsyth |
| Gunner Metcalf | Buncombe County, NC | Post 23-Brunswick |
| David Nailor | Shasta County, CA | Pos 31-Valdosta |
| Ignacio Orozco | Okeechobee, FL | Post 43-Calhoun |
| James O’Shields | Gordon County, GA | Post 05-Dalton |
| Timothy Robinson | Rockdale County, GA | Post 46-Monroe |
| Seth Romine | Pickens County, GA | Post 05-Dalton |
| Reggie Shepherd | Cook County, IL | Post 48-Atlanta |
| Tyreke Sims | Brooks County, GA | Post 10-Americus |
| William Smith IV | Lamar County, GA | Post 52-Hartwell |
| Jacob Stansell | Bulloch County, GA | Post 45-Statesboro |
| Donald Terry | Worth County, GA | Post 40-Albany |
| Gregory Terry | Gwinnett County, GA | Post 51-Gwinnett |
| James Trivigno Jr. | Wayne County, NY | Post 24-Newnan |
| Jerry Verrill Jr. | Suffolk County, MA | Post 21-Sylvania |
| Walter Wyatt Jr. | Lamar County, GA | Post 1-Griffin |
Thom Chandler
Thom Chandler is the editor of The Georgia Sun and has been writing, editing and managing websites and blogs since 1995. He is a lifelong Georgian and one of those increasingly rare Atlanta natives.
