Georgia Northwestern Technical College (GNTC) Basic Law Enforcement Academy recently graduated eight students from its program designed to train those who wish to pursue careers in criminal justice – including one student from Trion and one from Summerville.

Graduates receiving honors at GNTC’s July 2018 Basic Law Enforcement Academy Graduation were Dustin Bruce (Ringgold, GA), Hunter Densmore (Calhoun, GA), Jonathan Martin (Summerville, GA), Joshua Morse (Calhoun, GA), Isreal Smith (Calhoun, GA), Justin Watson (Calhoun, GA), Matthew Wilson (Trion, GA), and Mason Woodard (Calhoun, GA). In addition to family and friends attending the ceremony, regional police chiefs, sheriffs, and other law enforcement officials came to offer their support of the new class.

This class of new law enforcement specialists is the 20th graduating class under GNTC Law Enforcement Academy Director Jim Pledger. Joshua Morris was named the program’s “Honor Graduate” for earning the highest grade point average in his class. Justin Watson was given the program’s “Top Gun” award for excellence in marksmanship. Both Morris and Watson are former members of the United States Marine Corps. Graduate Dustin Bruce served as a Ranger in the United States Army.

Calhoun Police Chief Tony Pyle gave a keynote speech to the graduating class. “People see the troubling things involving law enforcement on social media these days and it affects all police officers,” he said. “As the next generation of law enforcement, you can play a part in changing that.”

“Today is a very different time to be a police officer,” said Pyle. “It’s a very difficult time. It’s a very difficult job today. These graduates could have chosen anything to take at this college. They chose to be police officers.”