First row from left: Nicholas Guilliot, Brad Epperson, Christopher Cuevas, Kirby Shavers, Brittany Fells, Lyndon Romeo, Pastor Ramos, Kurwin Smith, and instructors Emma Sturm and Justin Ladner. Second row from left: Roger Hayes, Landon Williams, Randall Voellmann, Andrew Sorensen, Rickey Farmer, Steve Taylor, David Jordan, George Vitteck and Lt. Louis Elias.
Other special guests included Harrison County Sheriff Melvin Brisolara; Chaplain Joe Collins, Deputy Rebecca Wright and Capt. Bill Markopoulos (Academy director), all with the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office; Dr. Susan Scaggs, vice president of the Jefferson Davis Campus; Dr. Mary S. Graham, MGCCC president; Gulfport Mayor Billy Hewes; and Rep. Carolyn Crawford, District 121 – Harrison.
The Academy is a partnership between the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office, the Mississippi Air National Guard and MGCCC.
Cadets included the following:
GULFPORT POLICE DEPARTMENT: Justin Clifton, Nicholas Guilliot, Kurwin Smith, George Vitteck (class leader), Randall Voellmann and Landon Williams
PASS CHRISTIAN POLICE DEPARTMENT: Christopher Cuevas
BAY ST. LOUIS POLICE DEPARTMENT: Brad Epperson
D’IBERVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT: Pastor Ramos and Andrew Sorensen
WAVELAND POLICE DEPARTMENT: Chance Seals
WIGGINS POLICE DEPARTMENT: Steve Taylor
MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT of CORRECTIONS: Brittany Fells and Kirby Shavers
VETERANS ADMINISTRATION: David J. Jordan and Lyndon Romeo
MISSISSIPPI GAMING COMMISSION: Roger Hayes
SELF-SPONSOR: Rickey Farmer
Awards presented included the following:
PHYSICAL FITNESS AWARD: Nicholas Guilliot, Gulfport Police Department
FIREARMS AWARD: Nicholas Guilliot, Gulfport Police Department
DRIVING: Chance Seals, Waveland Police Department
HIGHEST ACADEMIC GRADUATE: Randall Voellmann, Gulfport Police Department
LARKIN I. SMITH AWARD (Overall): Chance Seals, Waveland Police Department
FAVORITE INSTRUCTOR: Officer Tino Cunha, Biloxi Police Department