DOVER — Graduation ceremonies for the 93rd Delaware State Police and 89th Municipal Recruit Class were held Wednesday night at Dover High School.
There were 25 Delaware State troopers and 24 officers from multiple law enforcement agencies who completed their training, Superintendent Col. Nathaniel McQueen Jr. said.
New officers joined the Delaware River & Bay Authority, along with police departments in Dover, Georgetown, Newark, University of Delaware, Seaford, Smyrna and South Bethany.
Gov. John Carney addressed the graduates, along with Col. McQueen, Lt. Gov. Bethany Hall-Long, Attorney General Kathy Jennings, Department of Safety and Homeland Security Secretary Kim Chandler and C.O.P.T. Chairman Robert Coupe.
Trooper Nicholas Geannakakes was the class speaker and earned the Governor’s Outstanding Recruit Trooper Award and Outstanding Proficiency in Police Firearms Award.
Other class winners included:
• Seaford PD officer Ashley Melis, Attorney General’s Award for Legal Excellence.
• DSP Trooper Luke Justice, Secretary of Safety and Homeland Security Award:
• Seaford PD Patrolman Daniel Burgas, the Delaware Police Chiefs’ Council Award.
• University of Delaware PD Officer Jamel Howard, DSP Police Academy Law Enforcement Core Values Award.
• Georgetown PD Patrolman Troy Wolford, Outstanding Proficiency in Police Firearms Award.
• DSP Trooper Cameron Drake and Smyrna PD Patrolman Dylan Keller, DSP Police Academy Physical Fitness Award:
“These graduates represent the top 2.5% of the over 2,000 women and men who pursued positions in this Academy Class and their performance over the past few months reinforced that they were the best of the best,” said Capt. Jason Sapp, the DSP Director of Training.
“After receiving two and a half times the minimum training hours required by the Council on Police Training these women and men stand ready to serve the citizens of Delaware with the requisite confidence, passion, and humility to make all Delawareans safe and proud of their Law Enforcement protectors.”