(LITTLE ROCK) – Twenty-nine Arkansas State Police Trooper Recruits graduated tonight during ceremonies at the Arkansas State Capitol. The recruits received the Oath of State Trooper Commission from the Honorable Harold Erwin, of Newport, Third Judicial District Circuit Court, Division One.
The recruit class initially reported for duty on February 26th and each class member has accumulated 996 hours of classroom studies and practical training. The recruits are eligible for 41 college credit hours toward a Criminal Justice degree from Black River Technical College at Pocahontas.
Morril Harriman, Chief of Staff for Governor Mike Beebe, was the keynote speaker addressing the graduates and Colonel JR Howard, Director of the Arkansas State Police, presented the new troopers their commissions.
Other dignitaries present included representatives of the Arkansas State Police Commission.
Graduates of the 2012 class are:
• Jason C. Baethke, 27, of Manchester, Missouri, who served as Class Leader, will be assigned to Highway Patrol Division, Troop I, Baxter County. Recruit Baethke is a graduate of Parkway South High School in Manchester.
• Christopher L. Aaron, 29, of Hazen, will be assigned to Highway Patrol Division, Troop D, St. Francis County. Recruit Aaron is a graduate of Hazen High School.
• Dakotah R. Bailey, 24, of Crossett, will be assigned to Highway Patrol Division, Troop G, Columbia County. Recruit Bailey is a graduate of Crossett High School.
• Jed L. Bolyard, 25, of Booneville, will be assigned to Highway Patrol Division, Troop H, Sebastian County, Recruit Bolyard is a graduate of Booneville High School.
• Gabriel Charles Chambers, 21, of Kansas City, Missouri, will be assigned to Highway Patrol Division, Troop D, Crittenden County. Recruit Chambers is a graduate of Kolbe Academy, Kansas City, Missouri and Benedictine College, Atchison, Kansas.
• Bryan John Christenson, 26, of Aledo, Texas, will be assigned to Highway Patrol Division, Troop G, Nevada County. Recruit Christenson is a graduate of Aledo High School and is the recipient of both bachelors and masters degrees from Henderson State University, Arkadelphia.
• Christopher L. Crim, 29, of Sherwood, will be assigned to Highway Patrol Division, Troop E, Lincoln County. Recruit Crim is a graduate of Sylvan Hills High School.
• Callie M. Dacus, 23, of Mountain Home, will be assigned to Highway Patrol Division, Troop H, Sebastian County. Recruit Dacus is a graduate of Mountain Home High School and Arkansas State University, Mountain Home.
• Ernesto Echevarria, 28, of DeQueen, will be assigned to Highway Patrol Division, Troop G, Sevier County. Recruit Echevarria is a graduate of DeQueen High School and Cossatot Community College, DeQueen.
• Philip Ryan Felton, 31, of Bryant, will be assigned to Highway Patrol Division, Troop E, Jefferson County. Recruit Felton is a graduate of Bryant High School.
• Darren P. Henley, 27, of Hope, will be assigned to Highway Patrol Division, Troop G, Hempstead County. Recruit Henley is a graduate of Hope High School and Southern Arkansas University, Magnolia.
• Jason W. Hooks, 26, of Paragould, will be assigned to Highway Patrol Division, Troop I, Izard County. Recruit Hooks is a graduate of Paragould High School.
• Ryan J. Leuer, 27, of DeWitt, Iowa, will be assigned to Highway Patrol Division, Troop C, Mississippi County. Recruit Leuer is a graduate of DeWitt (Iowa) Central High School and the recipient of bachelors degrees in Criminology and Sociology from Arkansas State University, Jonesboro.
• Cleyton M. McDonald, 26, of Jacksonville, will be assigned to Highway Patrol Division, Troop D, Crittenden County. Recruit McDonald is a graduate of Jacksonville High School and is the recipient of bachelor and masters degrees in criminal justice and psychology from Mississippi Valley State University.
• Jason A. McGlawn, 34, of Arnold, Missouri, will be assigned to Highway Patrol Division, Troop G, Columbia County. Recruit McGlawn is a graduate of Fox High School (Arnold, Missouri) and Harding Univeristy.
• Andrew Tyler Metcalf, 24, of Brookland (Craighead County), will be assigned to Highway Patrol Division, Troop D, Phillips County. Recruit Metcalf is a graduate of Brookland High School.
• Eric C. Miller, 28, of Neosho, Missouri, will be assigned to Highway Patrol Division, Troop H, Crawford County. Recruit Miller is a graduate of Neosho High School.
• Christina E. Morris, 23, of Nashville, will be assigned to Highway Patrol Division, Troop G, Hempstead County. Recruit Morris is a graduate of Cossatot Community College, Nashville.
• Derek Nietert, 25, of Charleston, will be assigned to Highway Patrol Division, Troop H, Sebastian County. Recruit Nietert is a graduate of Charleston High School.
• Jerry Lee Oglesby, 30, of Pine Bluff, will be assigned to Highway Patrol Division, Troop A, Pulaski County. Recruit Oglesby is a graduate of Pine Bluff High School and Southern Arkansas University Technical College, Camden.
• Samuel C. Rice, 23, of Hamburg, will be assigned to Highway Patrol Division, Troop F, Chicot County. Recruit Rice is a graduate of Hamburg High School.
• Jerome Sanders, Jr., 27, of Pine Bluff, will be assigned to Highway Patrol Division, Troop E, Jefferson County. Recruit Sanders is a graduate of Watson Chapel High School and is a recipient of a bachelor degree in criminal justice form American Intercontinental University, Hoffman, Illinois.
• Terry L. Sawyer, 37, of Jessieville, will be assigned to Highway Patrol Division, Troop A, Pulaski County. Recruit Sawyer is a graduate of Jessieville High School.
• Zachary B. Saxon, 29, of Dover, will be assigned to Highway Patrol Division, Troop H, Sebastian County. Recruit Saxon is a graduate of Dover High School.
• Corey J. Skarda, 27, of Des Arc, will be assigned to Highway Patrol Division, Troop D, Lee County. Recruit Skarka is a graduate of Des Arc High School.
• Zachary L. Treadway, 22, of Dardanelle, will be assigned to Highway Patrol Division, Troop D, Phillips County. Recruit Treadway is a graduate of Dardanelle High School.
• Zachary J. Varnell, 26, of Pine Bluff, will be assigned to Highway Patrol Division, Troop E, Jefferson County. Recruit Varnell is a graduate of Watson Chapel High School.
• Clint Daniel Vaughn, 27, of Quitman, will be assigned to Highway Patrol Division, Troop I, Stone County. Recruit Vaughn is a graduate of Quitman High School.
• Marshall T. Williams, 36, of Doniphan, Missouri, will be assigned be assigned to Highway Patrol Division, Troop E, Jefferson County. Recruit Williams is a graduate of Doniphan High School and Southeast Missouri State University, Cape Girardeau, Missouri.
Special recognition and awards in the categories of academics, firearms, physical fitness and EVOC (Emergency Vehicle Operations Course) were presented to the following class members:
• Academics
1st place – Recruit Jason Baethke
2nd place – Recruit Derek Nietert
3rd place – Recruit Jerome Sanders
• Physical Fitness
1st place – Recruit Ryan Leuer
2nd place – Recruit Jason Baethke
3rd place – Recruit Bryan Christenson
• EVOC (Emergency Vehicle Operations Course)
1st place – Recruit Cleyton McDonald
2nd place – Recruit Corey Skarda
3rd place – Recruit Jerome Sanders
• Firearms
1st place – Recruit Derek Nietert
2nd place – Recruit Andrew Metcalf
3rd place – Recruit Zachary Saxon
Upon reporting for duty at their respective troop headquarters, the new troopers will be placed with a certified departmental Field Training Officer (FTO). Each graduate will work in tandem with their respective FTO for a twelve-week transitional period prior to being released to their assignment.
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