NORTH LOUISIANA CRIMINAL JUSTICE ACADEMY GRADUATES 19
Nineteen recruits from five agencies became certified P.O.S.T. (Peace Officer Standards and Training) law enforcement officers today during the graduation of Class 015 from the North Louisiana Criminal Justice Academy.
The guest speaker was Louisiana State Rep. Mike Johnson, R-District 8, who reminded these new law enforcement officers how important their role will be in the communities they will serve. “Drug use and addiction is rampant. Society is becoming less civil and even our police officers are hunted down, now, and murdered in cold blood. In the face of all that, in the face of that darkness and that evil, you choose to walk the warrior’s path. Because or your gift, when there’s injustice, you can’t help but get involved, and you yearn to make it right,” said Johnson. “We honor you for that courage, we honor you for that commitment, and, indeed, all of us rely upon it. We need you now, more than ever. We honor you today, and once more, we say, ‘Congratulation.’”
The academy is hosted by Bossier Sheriff Julian Whittington and the Bossier Sheriff’s Office. Recruits learn officer survival skills, legal issues, weapons qualifications, physical fitness, chemical weapons and more.
For the first time in the academies history, one individual took home all four awards which included, The Honor Graduate Award, Physical Fitness Award, Firearms Proficiency Award, and the Academic Award. Bossier Deputy Bradley Vasser was the recipient of those awards.
The graduating class of NLCJA Class 015 is:
Bossier City Police Department
Brian Dryer
Kenny Gallon Batalla
Neal Reese
Jeremy Watson
Bossier Parish Sheriff’s Office
Charles DeVille
Benjamin Hackenberg
Blake Kennedy
Sharon McDonald
Jonathan Pershon
Kenneth Philibert Jr.
Steven Shankle
Michael Stevens Jr.
Bradley Vassar
LSU Health Science Center University Police Department
Corey Armstrong
Thomas Hall
Olishia King
Northwestern State University Police Department
Thomas Jeane
Jeffery Voorhies
Springhill Police Department
Christopher Jones
North Louisiana Criminal Justice Academy held its first graduation in 2009, and more than 300 recruits have been trained to become POST-certified law enforcement officers over the past seven years.