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The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency held its first graduation ceremony at the Alabama Criminal Justice Training Center in Selma that saw 25 troopers added to the force.

Col. Jon Archer, Department of Public Safety director, charged the new troopers to carry the light of justice, ALEA and their local communities.

“Embrace the challenge, build the trust, and never stop learning,” Archer said. “Remember, the legacy you leave behind will not be measured by citations, warnings, crashes, or anything like that, but by the lives you touch and the positive impact you make on the great state of Alabama.”

The new troopers will be patrolling on both land and water, as the graduates represented both the highway patrol and the marine patrol. Sgt. Jeremy Burkett said the graduation was not only a celebration of the officers, but also the families.

“It’s extremely demanding, it’s extremely challenging. So it’s really to kind of give (the troopers) a moment of recognition for what they’ve done and sacrifices they’ve made, but also for the families because for these 10 weeks, these individuals haven’t been there,” Burkett said. “It’s also to thank them, recognize them and also give them thanks because this is the beginning of their career. So there’s gonna continue to be sacrifices, and that’s just how law enforcement works. So that’s why this graduation ceremony is really so important for us because we want to thank one, the individuals that are coming and being a part of the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency because we truly are a family. But the other side of it is to pay tribute to the family.”

The officers were sworn in as officers prior to receiving their diplomas for completing the academy. They received their badges earlier in the day Friday during a pinning ceremony.

One of the graduates was Te’Shawn Shuford, a Wallace Community College Selma graduate. Shuford was the class president of the training class.

“We are incredibly proud of Te’Shawn Shuford’s accomplishments and dedication to serving the community,”  said WCCS President Dr. James M. Mitchell. “Te’Shawn has exemplified the values and commitment to excellence that we strive to instill in all our students. His leadership as class president of the ALEA Trooper Class 2024-A is a testament to his hard work and determination. We wish him all the best in his future endeavors and know he will continue significantly contributing to public safety.”