Virginia State Police
www.vsp.virginia.gov
Media Release
News Release No. 3
For Immediate Release: March 1, 2012
LARGEST RECRUIT CLASS GRADUATES VIRGINIA STATE POLICE ACADEMY
IN DEPARTMENT’S 80-YEAR HISTORY
RICHMOND – As the Virginia State Police recognizes its 80th anniversary this year, the Department
will be celebrating a series of “firsts” this Friday. On March 2, 2012, the Virginia State Police will
graduate its largest class of new troopers in the agency’s history. In addition, for the first time in
decades, commencement exercises for the 117th Basic Session will not be held on the Virginia State
Police campus in Chesterfield County. Friday’s graduation also marks the official conversion of the
Department’s Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Officer (CVEO) position to trooper.
In all, 108 men and women will be presented their diplomas as the Commonwealth’s newest
generation of state troopers. Because of the record size of the class and for the safety and comfort of
attendees, commencement exercises had to be moved from the traditional location of the Virginia
State Police Academy Gymnasium to Meadow Event Park at Doswell in Caroline County. Friday’s
graduation begins at 10 a.m.
Eighty of the graduates are members of the 117th Basic Session and 28 are former CVEOs. The
CVEOs took part in a special 12-week “CVEO-to-Trooper Conversion School.” All of the CVEOs are
existing, uniformed VSP employees assigned to Virginia Motor Carrier Service Centers (weigh
stations) across the Commonwealth. The additional Academy training allows the CVEOs to convert to
the rank of trooper, thus allowing the state police to add 28 more troopers to patrol duties on Virginia’s
highways.
The 117th started a demanding 36-week training session June 27, 2011. In the last eight months, the
new troopers have received 1,800 hours of classroom and field instruction encompassing more than
100 different subjects. The 117th is the first class to receive 16 hours of intermediate criminal
investigation training. Additional subjects included judicial procedures, juvenile and traffic law,
firearms, self-defense, crowd control and first-aid, to name a few.
The final phase of training begins Monday, March 5, 2012, when the new troopers report for their first
duty assignments. For a minimum of six weeks, every member of the 117th is partnered with a field
training officer (FTO) in order to learn his or her new patrol area and day-to-day duties.
The graduating troopers come from every corner of the Commonwealth, as well as Florida,
Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey, New York and Ohio. Also unique to this class is the number of
those born outside the country, to include Brazil, Colombia, Czech Republic, Ghana, Philippines and
South Korea.
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Media Release
Prior to starting a career with the Virginia State Police, many of the new troopers served with other
law enforcement agencies and/or with a branch of the military. The 117th yields more than 62 years of
law enforcement and corrections experience, as well as an impressive 124 years of prior military
service.
As the need for highly-skilled and capable law enforcement professionals continues, the Department
is currently seeking qualified applicants for the position of trooper. All interested applicants are
encouraged to contact the Virginia State Police Recruitment Office at the toll-free number 1-866-8772329 or visit the Department’s Web site www.vsp.virginia.gov.
Graduate photos are available to the media via e-mail.
Please contact Ms. Dorothy Bernstein at Dorothy.bernstein@vsp.virginia.gov
117th BASIC GRADUATING CLASS
Name
Hometown
Jared Michael Allen
Romel Arias
David Robert Ayers
Christopher Michael Baez-Salcedo
Aaron Lyle Benner
William Lewis Blount
Christopher Thomas Bocock
Cody Levi Bonner
Garrett Karl Brandes
Kristal Nicole Brown
Terence Owen Byrne, III
Christopher Daniel Campbell
Adam Nicholas Cavins
Justin Wade Crawley
Timothy Michael Davenport, Jr.
Brian Jess Dempsey
Eugene Robert Desaulniers, II
Paul James Dufore
Bryan Kent Edwards
Dustin Shane Eggleston
Diego Armando Espinosa
Joseph James Avery Felts
John Karl Feryus
Kevin Scott Fleenor, II
Jonathan Kyle Ford
Brandon Scott Frye
Ethan Scott Frye
Donald Allen Fulcher
Lorenzo Alton Goode
Medina, New York
Roosevelt Island, New York
Draper
Ashburn
Dublin, Pennsylvania
Lawrenceville
Woolwine
Dendron
Tampa, Florida
Portsmouth
Budd Lake, New Jersey
Sterling
Rose Hill
Richmond
Suffolk
Charleston, West Virginia
Newport News
Williamsburg
Wakefield
Crewe
Cartagena, Colombia
Max Meadows
Fallston, Maryland
Norton
Waynesboro
Saltville
Jamestown, Ohio
Ridgeway
Richmond
Assignment
Arlington
Norfolk/VA Beach
Warren
Dulles Greenway
Caroline
Mecklenburg
Southampton
Sussex
Mecklenburg
Chesapeake
Springfield
Prince William
Middlesex
Hanover
Sussex
Appomattox
Hampton/Newport News
New Kent
Southampton
Nottoway
Springfield
Middlesex
Accomack
Fairfax
Albemarle
Gloucester
Stafford
Pittsylvania
Fairfax
Regional Media Contacts
Statewide
(804)674-2789
Richmond
(804)553-3494
Culpeper
(540)829-7713
Appomattox
(434)352-7128
Wytheville
(276)228-3131
Chesapeake
(757)424-6827
Salem/Roanoke
(540)375-9598
Find VSP on Facebook! http://www.facebook.com/VirginiaStatePolice
Fairfax
(804)674-2789
Virginia State Police
www.vsp.virginia.gov
Media Release
117th BASIC GRADUATING CLASS
Name
William Justin Hall
Eli Bharatha Hallman
Brandon Christopher Hill
Nathan Joel Houck
Kenton Emerson Huntsinger, Sr.
Daniel Joseph Jablonski
Aaron Lee Johnson
Jamell Reykeem Johnson
Hyo Min Kim
Martin Kriz
Emmanuel Nyameke Kwaw
Scott Allen Lam
Corey Preston Maddox
Ryan Andrew Madigan
Christopher John Mangano
David John Meehan
David Brian Meeks, Jr.
Joshua Ryan Moore
Steven John Muller
Kriston Drew Nelson
Fernando Moro Nunes
Frederick Tim Ochs
Christopher Mace Page
Sloane Ray Page
Dustin Carter Palmer
Jeffrey Wayne Palmer
Neal Thomas Panasky
Jason Perry Peck
Matthew Morgan Phillips
Vaughn Keaton Pope
Gregory Allen Purvis
Thomas Walter Reeves, Jr.
Wesley Gray Rorrer
Jonathan David Rothwell
Justin Ray Ruhlman
Roman Sachno, III
Daniel Taylor Scaletta
William Charles Sheehan
Jacob Aaron Short
Warren Everett Street
Kenneth Wilson Taylor, Jr.
Darius Jarell Terry
Hometown
Assignment
Stuart
Howardsville
Washington, DC
Newville, Pennsylvania
Ashland
Fredericksburg
Smyth County
Henrico
South Korea
Valasske Mezirici (Czech Republic)
Bronx, New York
Elkton
Bland
Schenectady, New York
Sutherland
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Randolph
Raphine
Brocton, New York
Elk Creek
Henrico
Arlington
Gasburg
Ruther Glen
Ruckersville
Fredericksburg
Chesapeake
Meadowview
Castlewood
Fort Meade, Florida
Rural Retreat
Charlotte Courthouse
Stuart
Harrisonburg
Palmyra
Staunton
Ridgeway
Howell, New Jersey
Chesterfield
Midlothian
Richmond
Martinsville
Rockbridge
Buckingham
York
Frederick
Hanover
Stafford
Hampton/Newport News
Charles City
Fairfax
Louisa
Springfield
Shenandoah
Warren
Henrico
Dinwiddie
Henrico
Mecklenburg
Rockbridge
Springfield
Buckingham
Hanover
Arlington
Greensville
Caroline
Greene
Stafford
Chesapeake
Mecklenburg
Hampton/Newport News
Arlington
Frederick
Lunenburg
Culpeper
Shenandoah
Fluvanna
Albemarle
Frederick
Prince William
Lancaster
Clarke
Hampton/Newport News
Prince William
Regional Media Contacts
Statewide
(804)674-2789
Richmond
(804)553-3494
Culpeper
(540)829-7713
Appomattox
(434)352-7128
Wytheville
(276)228-3131
Chesapeake
(757)424-6827
Salem/Roanoke
(540)375-9598
Find VSP on Facebook! http://www.facebook.com/VirginiaStatePolice
Fairfax
(804)674-2789
Virginia State Police
www.vsp.virginia.gov
Media Release
117th BASIC GRADUATING CLASS
Name
Hometown
Joshua Thomas
Thomas Scott Thompson
Jared Alan Vance
Bryon Eric Vincelette
Bruce Lambert Ward, Jr.
Cortez Edward Watson
John Alexander Williamson
Collin Preston Wilson
Matthew Shane Zola
Brooklyn, New York
Danville
Smithfield
Norfolk
Chesterfield
Orlando, Florida
Alton
Harrisonburg
Martinsville
Assignment
Prince William
Goochland
Isle of Wight
Goochland
Nottoway
Fairfax
Mecklenburg
Fairfax
Pittsylvania
FIRST CVEO to TROOPER TRANSITION SCHOOL
(Aug.15, 2011- NOV. 2, 2011)
Hometown
Name
Assignment
Thomas Price Atkins
John William Bennett
Paul Domingoes
Wytheville
Edinburg
Nokesville
Bland
Warren
Fauquier
Everett Daniel Everhart
Stephen Lee Flowers
Dwain Nelson Harper
Brian Allen Lawrence
Randy Lee Osborne
Jeffrey Dwayne Presson
Coy Dae Saunders, Jr.
William Edward Simon
Diana Piper Tudor
Frank Benjamin Tyler, III
Robert Michael Weiss
Darrell Wade Williams
Lynchburg
Bedford
Youngstown, Ohio
Hopewell
Lebanon
Alexandria
Rocky Gap
La Crosse
Onancock
Amelia
Nokesville
Eagle Rock
Nelson
Botetourt
Chesapeake
Prince George
Russell
Prince William
Bland
Brunswick
Accomack
Prince William
Frederick
Botetourt
SECOND CVEO to TROOPER TRANSITION SCHOOL
(Nov. 6, 2011- Feb. 3, 2012)
Hometown
Name
John Robert Carmody, Jr.
Jerry Lane Dixon
Michael Shell Felton
Giuseppe Giordano
Tivoli, New York
Pocahontas
Jarratt
Rochester, New York
Assignment
Accomack
Bland
Prince George
Brunswick
Regional Media Contacts
Statewide
(804)674-2789
Richmond
(804)553-3494
Culpeper
(540)829-7713
Appomattox
(434)352-7128
Wytheville
(276)228-3131
Chesapeake
(757)424-6827
Salem/Roanoke
(540)375-9598
Find VSP on Facebook! http://www.facebook.com/VirginiaStatePolice
Fairfax
(804)674-2789
Virginia State Police
www.vsp.virginia.gov
Media Release
SECOND CVEO to TROOPER TRANSITION SCHOOL
(Nov. 6, 2011- Feb. 3, 2012)
Hometown
Name
Steven Richard Marks
Janice Marie McDowell
Anthony Daniel Montross
Randy Floyd Peer
David Keith Pendergrass
Brian Michael Phillips
Betty Tulloh Price
Lance Richard Trgina
Thomas Mitchel Waltz
Lebanon, Pennsylvania
Bluefield
Temperanceville
Maurertown
Brodnax
Stephens City
Emporia
Washington, DC
Roanoke
Assignment
Frederick
Bland
Accomack
Frederick
Brunswick
Frederick
Brunswick
Prince George
Botetourt
###
Regional Media Contacts
Statewide
(804)674-2789
Richmond
(804)553-3494
Culpeper
(540)829-7713
Appomattox
(434)352-7128
Wytheville
(276)228-3131
Chesapeake
(757)424-6827
Salem/Roanoke
(540)375-9598
Find VSP on Facebook! http://www.facebook.com/VirginiaStatePolice
Fairfax
(804)674-2789