This graduating class is unique as it includes both traditional trainees and members of the Expedited Law Enforcement Certified Academy. The latter comprises experienced law enforcement professionals who have already been certified by the Department of Criminal Justice Services and have served at least three years elsewhere in Virginia, according to a police press release.
The new troopers underwent rigorous training, including over 1,300 hours of instruction covering various subjects such as de-escalation techniques, mental health crisis intervention, ethics, constitutional law, and public relations. The Trooper Trainees of the 140th Basic Session began their training on July 26, 2023, while those in the Expedited Academy started on December 28, 2023.
The graduating class hails from diverse backgrounds, including different states and even countries like Haiti and Jamaica. Upon graduation, each trooper will be assigned to duty stations across Virginia and undergo an additional six weeks of training with a Field Training Officer in their respective patrol areas.
Among the graduates from Stafford are Seth Andrew Chambers, Kevin Adam Darling, and Antonia Florentine Hamill. They, along with fellow graduates, will soon be serving their communities across the state, embodying the motto of the 140th Basic Session: “Out To Serve We Go 140.”
