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New troopers graduate from training, join Virginia State Police ranks

Crystal Graham
police car
(© Oleksandr – stock.adobe.com)

The Commonwealth graduated 31 new troopers at the State Police Training Academy in Chesterfield County last week.

The new troopers have received more than 1,300 hours of classroom and field instruction in more than 100 different subjects, including de-escalation techniques, strategies to assist people in mental health crisis, ethics and leadership, fair and impartial policing, constitutional law, emergency medical trauma care, and public and community relations.

The members of the 137th Basic Session began their 28 weeks of academic, physical and practical training at the Academy on June 30.

The new troopers will report to their individual duty assignments across Virginia and will spend an additional six weeks working with a field training officer to learn their new patrol area.

The 137th Basic graduating class included:

  • Ahmad Mahmoud Abuali – Pompton Lakes, New Jersey – Springfield
  • Devon Gene Bridger – North Port, Florida – Shenandoah
  • Barry Joseph Calamusa – Remlap, Alabama – Page
  • Shannon Kelley Callahan – Leesburg – Accomack
  • Jonathan Seth Carrington – South Boston – Sussex
  • William Guy Chester – Warrenton – York
  • Brandon Lee Collins – Suffolk – Portsmouth/Suffolk/Chesapeake
  • Candy Estefani Cruceta – Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic – James City
  • Trevor Thomas Cullen – Fishkill, New York – Arlington/Fairfax
  • Jacob Alexander Culp – Forest – Gloucester
  • Keith William Damian – Fairfax – Springfield
  • Devin Matthew Dews – Appomattox  – Amelia
  • Shane Daniel Drayton – Manahawkin, New Jersey – Lancaster
  • Cody Lawrence Fisher – Halifax – Halifax
  • Luke Douglas Heard – Suffolk – Hampton/Newport News
  • Caleb Alexander Hubbard – Meadows of Dan – Greensville
  • Carson Alexander Jeffris – Fairfax – Orange
  • Bryce Zachary Johnson – Fairfax – Albemarle
  • Caleb Owen Konopa – Winchester – Albemarle
  • Caroline VanOsten Lehman – Natural Bridge – Louisa
  • Zackary James Lehman – Christiansburg – Hanover/Henrico
  • Dustin Blaine Mays – Rockbridge – Charlotte
  • Gilson Alexander Maza Jaramillo – Newark, NewJersey – Westmoreland
  • William Aaron Miller – Summersville – Hanover/Henrico
  • Ronald Blake Murphy – Culpeper – Orange
  • William Rallins, IV –  New York, New York – Portsmouth/Suffolk/Chesapeake
  • Trey Royal Sullivan – New London, Connecticut – Surry
  • Cong Thien Truong – Oakland, California – Hampton/Newport News
  • David Matthew Vaeth – Blue Ridge – Pittsylvania
  • Mallory Ann Yowell – Charlottesville – Mathews
  • George Fouad Zaki – Cairo, Egypt – Hanover/Henrico

Crystal Graham

Crystal Graham

Crystal Abbe Graham is the regional editor of Augusta Free Press. A 1999 graduate of Virginia Tech, she has worked for nearly 25 years as a reporter and editor for several Virginia publications, written a book, and garnered more than a dozen Virginia Press Association awards for writing and graphic design. She was the co-host of "Viewpoints," a weekly TV news show, and co-host of Virginia Tonight, a nightly TV news show. Her work on "Virginia Tonight" earned her a national Telly award for excellence in television.