14 Officers Graduate From Reinhardt's Public Safety Institute

WALESKA, GA -- Fourteen officers are now certified after graduating last week from Reinhardt University’s Public Safety Institute Dec. 20.

More than 70 percent of the graduates left with employment secured at various law enforcement agencies in the area, the university said.

Agencies employing these newly minted officers include the Alpharetta Department of Public Safety, Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office and the Woodstock Milton Police and Gainesville police departments, said Trey Drawdy, director of Reinhardt University’s Public Safety Institute.

The graduates of Class 16-002 are: officer Alex Armstrong of Woodstock; officer Billie Baker of Sugar Hill; officer Joseph Brock of Alpharetta; officer Jenifer Cabrera-Kell of Canton; officer Jason Fields of Milton; officer Jamal Hunter of Hiram; officer Bryan Jailall of Grayson; officer Reed Janesek of Woodstock; deputy Scott Newbury of Lawrenceville; deputy De Jeannie Smith of Snellville; deputy Joey Stafford of Winder; officer Dale Thomas of Hoschton; officer Christopher Van Heest of Marietta; and deputy James Wilson of Loganville.

John Robison, Public Safety Institute adjunct professor, gave the graduation address. Robison, who has been teaching in the academy since the Public Safety Institute’s launch, is the Powder Springs police chief who was appointed as the new director of the Alpharetta Department of Public Safety.

He replaces retiring Alpharetta Public Safety Director Gary George. The ceremony also served as a special acknowledgement for George, a Reinhardt Public Safety Institute Advisory board member who has served since the academy’s inception.

“Gary was instrumental in the establishment of basic law enforcement training at Reinhardt University and has always been an advocate for higher education and police professionalism," Drawdy said. "His leadership, wisdom, and passion for service will be greatly missed."

Photos. Class 16-002 graduated Dec. 20 in a ceremony at Reinhardt University’s Falany Performing Arts Center. Credit: Pat Patton.