Wallingford Residents Graduate From CT State Police Academy

WALLINGFORD, CT — Connecticut State Police graduated 100 new state troopers Thursday, all members of the 130th Training Troop.

Wallingford residents Emma Becroft and Brandon Dadio were among those who graduated. They were assigned to Troop I in Bethany.

James C. Rovella, Commissioner of the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, and Colonel Stavros Mellekas, Commander of the State Police, congratulated the graduating class during a ceremony held at Dunkin Donuts Park, home of the Hartford Yard Goats, to allow for social distancing, according to a news release. Gov. Ned Lamont also addressed the graduates.

The 130th Training Troop entered the Connecticut State Police Training Academy on Jan. 15, with classes starting remotely due to Covid-19. In early April through mid-May, the class commuted for day classes at the academy.

In mid-May, members of the 130th TT transitioned to residential living to complete their final 13 weeks of training. In total, the class completed 32 weeks and approximately 1,500 hours of training both online and in person. In addition to classwork, the recruits spend many hours on physical conditioning, water rescue, firearms training, driving and other specialized areas of police work.

The 100 members of this class includes 76 men and 24 women who began the process of becoming state troopers more than a year ago. At that time, they applied for the positions, took the written test and the physical fitness assessment, along with observational and polygraph tests, according to the news release.

Among the 100 graduates:

• 20 have military experience
• 8 have prior law enforcement experience
• 51 are taking college classes, have completed some college, or earned an Associate's Degree
• 44 hold Bachelor's Degrees
• 7 have advanced degrees
• 15 are bilingual
• 27 are minorities

According to Connecticut State Police, members of the 130th Training Troop have diverse backgrounds, training and experience. Some are former municipal police officers or correction officers, some have been trained as firefighters and EMTs. The youngest member of the class is 22 years old and the oldest is 49 years old.

At their graduation Thursday, the newest Troopers were sworn in by Colonel Mellekas and assigned to one of 11 State Police troops located throughout Connecticut.

Troopers will be assigned as follows:

Troop A, Southbury – 12 new Troopers

Troop B, North Canaan – 6 new Troopers

Troop C, Tolland – 9 new Troopers

Troop D, Danielson – 8 new Troopers

Troop E, Montville – 7 new Troopers

Troop F, Westbrook – 9 new Troopers

Troop G, Bridgeport – 12 new Troopers

Troop H, Hartford – 13 new Troopers

Troop I, Bethany – 9 new Troopers

Troop K, Colchester – 6 new Troopers

Troop L, Litchfield – 10 new Troopers