27 law officers graduate from North Central Academy
by MDJ Staff
12.19.11 - 04:05 pm
AUSTELL — On Dec. 6 the North Central Georgia Law
Enforcement Academy, in Austell, graduated 27 law enforcement officers from agencies
around the state, including 10 deputies from the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office.
The officers spent 10 weeks in basic training there.
Cobb Sheriff’s Deputy David Stephens received the John Marchant Jr. Leadership
Award as well as the Marksmanship Award. The John Marchant Jr. Award is given
to the elected class leader and is named after the former director of the
academy. The Marksmanship Award goes to the individual who scores the highest
overall average on the firing range and is also known as Top Gun. The following
is a list of the graduates and their respective agencies.
From the Cobb Sheriff’s Office: Benjamin Ericks,
Terry Gordy, Brandon Grier, Parker Gross, David Stephens, Benjamin Harre, Gerald Ventre, Kimberlee Jerkins, Taylor Kemery,
and Thomas McCracken.
Other graduates were: Craig Smith, Smyrna Police; Juan Mesa, Cartersville
Police; Jason Hamilton, Floyd County Sheriff; Tina Shepherd, Douglas County
Sheriff; Matthew Peterson, Douglasville Police; and Richard Schneider,
Governor’s Office of Consumer Protection.
Also graduating were Joseph Turner, Lee Anna Hines, and Torey
Wright, all of Polk County Sheriff; Jacob Tatum and Carlos Evans, both of
Bartow County Sheriff; James Shurling and Matthew Voyles, both of Paulding County Sheriff; Timothy Wautelet and Alton Stamey, both
of Haralson County Sheriff; and Daniel Cole and John Cox, both of Carrollton
Police.