Virginia State Police
www.vsp.virginia.gov
Media Release
News Release No. 23
For Immediate Release: October 18, 2012
89 NEW TROOPERS READY TO
PATROL, PROTECT & SERVE VIRGINIA
118th Basic Session Includes Record Number of Female Graduates
RICHMOND – Eighty years ago, the General Assembly granted statewide powers of arrest in the
Commonwealth forming the foundation of a Virginia Department of State Police. As the Department recognizes
this historic anniversary, it also celebrates the addition of 89 new troopers to its ranks with the graduation of
the 118th Basic Session on Oct. 19, 2012. The ceremony begins at 9 a.m. and will be held at Meadow Event
Park in Caroline County.
The 118th Basic Session is not only the Department’s largest graduating class in Virginia State Police history,
but also lays claim to having the largest number of female graduates. Altogether, 13 women will be presented
their diplomas at Friday’s commencement exercises. In addition, the graduating class also includes several
born outside the country, to include Puerto Rico, Kenya, Nairobi and Poland.
“We are proud to see such diversity building among our ranks,” said Colonel W. Steven Flaherty, Virginia State
Police Superintendent. “The State Police has worked hard over the past 80 years to reflect the assorted
populations of people living and working within the Commonwealth. The outstanding men and women of this
118th generation of troopers have undergone a demanding and intense training program in order achieve the
esteemed recognition of becoming one of Virginia’s Finest.”
Selected from a pool of more than 1,800 applicants, the members of the 118th Basic Session began a rigorous
37-week training session Feb. 27, 2012. During the last eight months, the new troopers have received 1,690
hours of classroom and field instruction encompassing more than 100 different subjects. Additional subjects
included judicial procedures, juvenile and traffic law, firearms, self-defense, crowd control and first-aid, to name
a few.
On Monday, Oct. 22, 2012, the new troopers will report to their individual duty assignments across Virginia and
begin their final phase of training. Each trooper will spend a minimum of six weeks with a field training officer
(FTO) learning his or her new patrol area and day-to-day duties.
“Today’s celebration is also bittersweet for many of these graduates and the entire State Police family, as our
Department still mourns the loss of Trooper Andrew Fox,” said Flaherty. Trooper Fox was struck and killed Oct.
5, 2012, while directing traffic on a special assignment near Meadow Event Park. Fox was a defensive tactics
instructor and taught approximately a third of the 118th Basic Session students during their Academy training.
-CONTINUE-
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Statewide
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Richmond
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Culpeper
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Appomattox
(434)352-7128
Wytheville
(276)228-3131
Chesapeake
(757)424-6827
Salem/Roanoke
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Virginia State Police
www.vsp.virginia.gov
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 graduating troopers come from across the
Commonwealth, as well as Alabama, Kansas, Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North
Carolina, Ohio and Texas.
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 1-866-877-2329 or visit the
Department’s Web site www.vsp.virginia.gov.
Individual trooper’s photos are available to the media via e-mail.
Please contact Ms. Dorothy Bernstein at Dorothy.bernstein@vsp.virginia.gov
118th BASIC GRADUATING CLASS
NAME
Amanda McCambridge Akey
David Matthew Altizer
Todd Maurice Amidon
Christopher Michael Ballard
Craig Michael Batten
Terrance Zachary Beams
Adam Seth Bedsaul
Zachary Joseph Blevins
Brandon Morgann Branch
Morgan Elic Brooks,II
Stephon Jaron Brown
Charie Lashell Bryant
Ryan Seal Buchanan
Christopher Lynn Carwile
Nicholas Martin Casey
Rick Matthew Chambliss
Michael Shane Clifton
Brent Walker Coffey
Gabriel Colon
Matthew Tristan Conley
Frank Joseph Corbe
John Thomas Custer
Frank Hugh Darnold, III
Wesley Mark Day
Michelle Lynn Dean
HOMETOWN
Indian Head, Maryland
Ripplemead
Marcellus, New York
Roanoke
Chesapeake
Lynchburg
Galax
Galax
Houston, Texas
Norton
Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Richmond
Virginia Beach
Orchard Park, New York
Cumberland
Martinsville
Culpeper
Covington
Spotsylvania
Euclid, Ohio
Edinburg
Richmond
Big Stone Gap
Big Stone Gap
ASSIGNMENT
Prince William
Westmoreland
Hanover
Fairfax
Chesapeake
Buckingham
Mecklenburg
Augusta
Prince William
Botetourt
Arlington
Arlington
Caroline
Fairfax
Fairfax
Buckingham
Henry
Orange
Campbell
Stafford
Henrico
Culpeper
Chesterfield
Albemarle
Henrico
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
Susan Louise Drees
Elizabeth Ann Drummond
Mark Adrian Dumbauld
Mark Harley Everman
Isaiah Robert Ewing
Justin Edward Fitzgerald
Larry Grant Foley, Jr.
Shawn Matter Ford
Christopher Robert Francis
Corey Lee Garrison
Joi Dominique Elizabeth Gary
Jordon Eric Gough
Daniel William Gundlach, Jr
Michael Phillip Hall
Courtney Pamala Harris
Nathan Zachary Harris
Monica Denisha Hart
Bryant Darrell Hicks
Richard Donald Hubbs, III
Joshua William Hudson
Leon Anthony Jackson
William Kevin Johnson
Christopher William Jones
Tomasz Karbowski
David Wayne Lacks
Michael William Little
Nicole Kalie MacCracken
Joel Micah Martin
Ryan Christopher Martin
Stephanie Marie McFall
Moses Harrison Muriithi
Joshua Michael Myers
Stephen Jay Nicely, Jr.
Cesar Augustus Nunez
Michael Wade Painter
Brandon Edward Patenaude
Justin Mark Probus
John Bernard Raila, III
Rafael Alberto Ramirez
Racque Matthew Reed
Kyra Monique Richardson
Juan Norberto Rivera
Adam Lee Irving Ruffin
Derek Joseph Russell
Andrew Joseph Sabol, IV
Montie Marro Sellers
Andrew Thomas Severin
Stephen Paul Shook
Thomas Joseph Sica , Jr.
Michael Sinnott
Sarah Chapple Skillman
Virginia Beach
Virginia Beach
Virginia Beach
Portsmouth
Rochester, Pennsylvania
Natural Bridge
Stuart
Norfolk
Sicklerville, New Jersey
Gore
Williamsburg
Gloucester Point
Sparta, New Jersey
Moyock, North Carolina
Chesapeake
Wytheville
Chesapeake
Richmond
Gloucester City, New Jersey
Weems
Virginia Beach
Colonial Heights
Southampton, New Jersey
Augustow, Poland
Scottsburg
Long Valley, New Jersey
Fairfax
Wytheville
Waynesboro
Gloucester
Nairobi, Kenya
Winchester
Waynesboro
Weehawken, New Jersey
Broadway
Goochland
Manassas
Albany, New York
Guayanilla, Puerto Rico
Warsaw
Midlothian
San Juan, Puerto Rico
Richmond
Clear Brook
Virginia Beach
Richmond
Williamsburg
Springfield
Scranton, Pennsylvania
Topeka, Kansas
Fulks Run
Hampton/Newport News
Greenville
Henrico
Hampton/Newport News
Culpeper
Fluvanna
Pittsylvania
Hampton/Newport News
Springfield
Culpeper
Fairfax
Sussex
Fairfax
Chesapeake
Arlington
Botetourt
Arlington
Prince William
Henrico
King and Queen
Chesapeake
Dinwiddie
Arlington
Arlington
Lunenburg
Shenandoah
Fairfax
Botetourt
Augusta
New Kent
Prince George
Frederick
Greene
Henrico
Frederick
Henrico
Prince William
Prince William
Caroline
Lancaster
Fairfax
Henrico
Dinwiddie
Caroline
Caroline
Dinwiddie
Dinwiddie
Springfield
Campbell
Botetourt
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
Jared William Staton
Casey Renee Tate
Corey Vaughn Taylor, Sr.
Michael Scott Tokarski, Jr
Jason Charles Townsend
Joseph Alan Turner
Stephen Lemuel Turner
Charles Viera-Cintron
Damien Michael Walls
Mark Philip Walsh
Garrett Ryan Watkins
Joseph Allen Williams
John Joseph Yacek
Forest
Danville
Canton, Ohio
Yorktown
Lynchburg
Castlewood
Stuart
Bayamon, Puerto Rico
Boaz, Alabama
Edison, New Jersey
Scottsville
Bergton
Rahway, New Jersey
Campbell
Henrico
Chesapeake
Springfield
Campbell
Roanoke
Roanoke
Fairfax
Botetourt
Henrico
Fluvanna
Page
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