aast names 2012 trooper of the year · virginia state police was named the american association of...

Sgt. Gregory L. Stalnaker, 43, of the WestVirginia State Police was named the AmericanAssociation of State Troopers 2012 Trooper ofthe Year for his selfless act of courage in theline of duty on Feb. 16, 2011, when he shot andkilled a suspect who was firing at officersattempting to serve a warrant.Stalnaker was assisting the United States

Marshal Service in Elkins, W.V., about 8 a.m.

with the execution of a search and arrest war-rant at the residence of Charles EdwardSmith, wanted for possession with intent todeliver crack cocaine and possession offirearms while being an unlawful drug user.After getting no response at the door, a mar-shal forcibly entered the home, followed byDeputy Marshal Derek Hotsinpiller and Stal-naker. Several other officers were positioned

outside the residence.Once the officers were inside

the house, Smith fired two shotsfrom a 12-gauge shotgun at theofficers from behind a closed

door. One of the blasts struckHotsinpiller in the neck, and ashe fell to the ground, Smith con-tinued to fire down the hallwayat the officers. Another marshalwas hit by pellets and debris,while a rifled slug grazed theshoulder of another.The door blocking Smith was

flung open when he fired, puttinghim in direct view of Stalnaker,who had taken up a partially con-cealed position. Smith waswielding a pistol in one hand anda shotgun in the other.Stalnaker stood his ground

and returned fire on Smith,fatally wounding him, thus ending

the incident. Smith returned fire, narrowlymissing Stalnaker. Stalnaker’s actions made itpossible to remove Hotsinpiller from the resi-dence, although he succumbed to his injuries.One marshal underwent surgery to removeshot pellets from his abdomen, while the otherwas treated and released.If not for the brave actions of Stalnaker,

other officers may have died, and neighborsin the typically quiet neighborhood couldhave been in danger. Stalnaker courageouslyfaced Smith, who had apparently beenpreparing for an encounter with police forsome time. The follow-up investigation

revealed that 22 loaded weapons, includinga large-caliber fully automatic rifle and duf-fle bags of ammunition were strategicallyplaced throughout the residence. He hadbeen a fugitive since the 2006 indictment bya federal grand jury.“In high threat situations like this, you have

to be ready for anything,” Stalnaker said. “Mytraining instinctively kicked in, and we werefortunate that no other lives were lost that day.”A trooper since 1994, Stalnaker was

awarded the WVSP Medal of Valor for hisbravery under fire and selfless actions dur-ing this incident. He also received the U.S.Marshal Service’s Valor Award.An excerpt of an editorial published about

the AAST Trooper of the Year summed up his

Volume 21, Issue 4Fall 2012

www.statetroopers.org

AAST names 2012 Trooper of the Year

© American Association of State Troopers, Inc. 2012. All Rights Reserved.

Sgt. Gregory Stalnaker was named the AAST Trooper of the Year. Continued on page 14

“ ”It began as an ordinary dayfor the 18-year trooper.

2 _______________________________________________________________________________ AAST Trooper Connection Fall 2012

Fellow Troopers, HighwayPatrol Officers, and StatePolice Officers:

It is with utmost admirationand respect that I thank theAAST board of directors foran extremely productive andefficient meeting in June. Yourboard of directors accom-

plished more in two days than anyonewould think possible. They were well-prepared and single-minded.We ushered in a new group of board

members, including Third Vice PresidentBubba Blue, Alabama State Director ScottBrasher, Missouri State Director TimBaysinger, Texas State Director BrandonBess, and West Virginia State Director BillScott. You can read more about these menon page 3. Each brings a unique set of skills,experience, and unparalleled leadership tothe board, and you can be assured that theywill make excellent decisions as your repre-sentatives. Feel free to get in touch with yourboard members when you have questions orsuggestions. AAST HQ can put you in touchwith the right person, 800-765-5456.The biggest decision made at this year’s

board meeting was the creation of a newclass of membership. AAST has previ-ously had three classes of troopermembership: active duty troopers, retiredtroopers, and former troopers with 10 ormore years of honorable service. Many ofour retired members and potential mem-bers have asked us about creating a newtype of membership for those who areretired and are very interested in the fra-ternal side of AAST, but who are notinterested in the insurance benefit. Weheard your requests and responded!Below you can learn details about the

new membership class. I will include allfour classes of membership, for informa-tional purposes.

• Active Trooper Member ($75 per year)Benefits for full-time currently activetroopers and state police officers:• AAST ID card• Up to $2,500 in scholarships for troopermembers’ qualified dependents

• Trooper Connection quarterly newsletter• Insurance Package (after a six-monthwaiting period):$5,000 of term life insurance(not reduced by age)

$5,000 accidental death anddismemberment benefit

$5,000 line-of-duty benefit

$5,000 seatbelt benefit$5,000 airbag benefitAccidental Death and Dismember-ment Family Benefits Package

Repatriation BenefitMedEx Travel Assistance Program

• Retired Trooper Member I ($75 per year)Retired troopers and state police offi-cers whose membership application isreceived by AAST within 12 months oftheir official retirement date receive thesame benefits as those in the ActiveTrooper Member category, minus theline-of-duty benefit. Members in thiscategory have the option of replacingthe life insurance package with a sup-plemental benefit, which currently isvision coverage.

• Honorable Service Member ($75per year)

Former troopers with at least 10 years ofhonorable service are eligible to join inthis category, and the application must bereceived by AAST within 12 months ofleaving employment. These membersreceive the same benefits as those in theActive Trooper Member category, sansthe line-of-duty benefit.

• Retired Trooper Member II ($35per year)

Retired troopers and state police officerswho have been retired more than 12months receive the following benefits:• AAST ID card

• Up to $2,500 in scholarships for troopermembers’ qualified dependents

• Trooper Connection quarterly newsletterWhile space does not allow me to

include every intricate detail of the ben-efits package, this gives you a generaloverview. Many of you are probablyasking yourself if you can switch from aretired member to the Retired TrooperMember II category. The answer is yes!At your next renewal date, you canmake the change if you wish and if youapply at least 12 months after yourretirement date. But remember thatmembers in the Retired Trooper Mem-ber II category may not convert to aRetired Trooper Member I.Please visit our website, www.state

troopers.org, for complete membershipdetails, or call 800-765-5456 if youhave questions that aren’t answered onthe site.We are pleased to meet the requests of

our members by offering this new cate-gory, which many of you will welcomesimply because of the cost reduction. Wewant to keep all of you as AAST members.Always remember: Every day’s a hol-

iday, and every meal’s a feast.

Fraternally,

Keith BarbierPresidentFr

om th

e Pre

siden

t’s P

enKe

ith B

arbi

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President Barbier, right, swears in new state directors at the June AAST board meeting: Bill Scott, WestVirginia; Tim Baysinger, Missouri; and Brandon Bess, Texas, left to right.

New Membership Class for Retirees

At its national board meeting in June,AAST welcomed four new board members.The board consists of active and retiredtroopers who volunteer their time to con-tinue making AAST the No. 1 organizationin the country exclusively for individualtroopers. Each board member brings valu-able input and experience to the board.AAST national board of directors con-

sists of the president, first vice president,second vice president, third vice president,secretary, treasurer, and a number of statedirectors. Each member of the nationalboard of directors has one vote and thepower to propose changes to policies of theAssociation and to adopt, change, or amendthe articles of incorporation and the consti-tution and bylaws of the Association.

Clarence M. “Bubba”Blue IIIwas elected thirdvice president. Blueretired from the AlabamaDepartment of PublicSafety in 1994 after serv-ing 26 years andpresently serves as theE-911 coordinator forBullock County. He

served 15 years as the AAST Alabama statedirector before being elected to this position.

Taking Blue’s place asthe AAST Alabama statedirector is Lt. ScottBrasher, who has beena member of the Ala-bama Highway Patrolsince 1988 and currentlyserves as the assistanttroop commander of theDothan Post. His wife,Christine, has worked

for AAST since January 2000, currentlyserving as the Membership ServicesDirector.

Capt. Tim Baysingerwas selected to serve asAAST’s Missouri statedirector, replacing ChrisRicks, who was electedto the national secondvice president position.Baysinger became amember of the MissouriState Highway Patrol in1978 and currently

serves as director of the MSHP Research

and Development Division.Agent Brandon Bess

was named Texas statedirector and currentlyserves with the TexasDPS Criminal Investiga-tions Division. Bessbegan his law enforce-ment career in 1994 as apatrolman for the city ofHenderson and then as adeputy sheriff for the

Rusk County Sheriffs Department beforejoining the Texas DPS in 1995. He replacedKenneth Musick as state director whenMusick was elected national secretary.

Capt. Bill Scott,selected as West Virginiastate director, has been amember of the West Vir-ginia State Police since1994. Earlier in 2012 hewas appointed director ofthe WVSP Planning andResearch Section.To read more in-depth

biographies of all AAST board members,visit www.statetroopers.org/Governance.htm

AAST Trooper Connection Fall 2012 ______________________________________________________________________________ 3

Trooper Connection® is the officialpublication of the American Associationof State Troopers, Inc. and is published

quarterly as a service to AAST membersin conjunction with

American Graphics & Design, Inc.,www.agad.com

President: Jenny DeBackGraphic Designer:

Cindy Chic

Bylined articles contain opinions of thewriters and do not necessarily reflectAAST policy.

National OfficersKeith BarbierPresident

Jeff LaneFirst Vice President

Chris RicksSecond Vice President

Bubba BlueThird Vice President

Kenneth MusickSecretary

J.D. JohnsonTreasurer

AAST Headquarters1949 Raymond Diehl Road

Tallahassee, FL 32308(800) 765-5456Angie Ishee, Editor

We want to hear from you! Trooper Connec-tion® welcomes your comments, articles, andarticle ideas. We also encourage you to sendphotographs along with your articles. Pleasecontact the Public Relations Department:

AAST Public Relations Dept.(800) 477-9860

E-mail: [email protected] AAST online: www.statetroopers.org

© Copyright American Association of State Troopers, Inc. 2012

AAST welcomes board members

Blue

Brasher

Baysinger

Bess

Scott

The Trooper Connection newsletter celebrates20 years in 2012.Sharing news across state lines.Connecting troopers across the country.Happy birthday, Trooper Connection!


AAST helps sponsor national public affairs conference

AAST was once again proud to help makepossible the highly acclaimed UniformedSafety Education Officers Workshop, hostedthis year by the Mississippi Highway Patrol.Fifty-one officers from 12 states gathered

in Gulfport for the three-day conference, anopportunity for public affairs officers fromdifferent parts of the country to swap ideasand programs utilized in their respectivestates. Each state competes and is judged byworkshop attendees in three categories: over-all public safety, traffic safety, and radio andtelevision public services announcements.“The USEOW has strived to make this

conference the premiere conference for

public affairs/information officers, withmany attendees stating that this conferenceshould be mandatory training,” USEOWpresident Capt. David Jude of the KentuckyState Police said.The first workshop was held in May of

1968 after two troopers from Iowa andNebraska began discussing the concept ofmeeting to share innovative ways to bringabout better and more effective messagesrelating to safety and saving lives.“The USEOW has expanded the confer-

ence to provide tangible resources foreducation officers,” Jude said. “Nationalspeakers have been brought in to share their

expertise, and subject matter experts are nowa part of this annual conference. Attendeesleave with the materials and contacts to growtheir educational message locally.”Awards from this year’s USEOW included the

Tennessee Highway Patrol for PSA-radio; theIowa State Patrol for PSA-television; the IllinoisState Police for overall public safety; and theKansas Highway Patrol with the Hale Achieve-ment Award, named for W. H. Hale, acornerstone in the area of traffic safety in Texas.For more information about the USEOW

and how you can be involved, visitwww.useow.org or contact Capt. Jude at859-707-7037.

Troopers from 12 states attended this year’s USEOW to share safety education programs and ideas.

HNews from connecticut

An eight-year old vision was fulfilled thissummer by the Connecticut State PoliceAcademy Alumni Association when itproudly cut the ribbon on the CSP museumand learning center.Founded in 1972, the CSPAAA created a

museum committee eight years ago, withmuseum construction in the works for thepast three years. Numerous fundraisers, per-sonal and private donations, and hundreds ofvolunteer hours were required to restore the1920s building that once housed the Meri-den School for Boys.The plan came to fruition on June 30 with

the museum’s grand opening, which wasattended by hundreds of citizens, CSP mem-bers and their families, as well as statedignitaries, including Lt. Gov. NancyWyman. The event featured a display of vin-tage patrol cars, including 1941, 1954, and1958 CSP Ford cruisers.The museum traces CSP history from its

inception in 1903, when it employed only ahandful of troopers, to today’s modern state

police department, staffed with over 1,400sworn and civilian support personnel. Animportant highlight of the museum is thememorial room, which honors the 19 Con-necticut state troopers and two auxiliarytroopers who have died in the line of duty.On hand to unveil the CSP insignia badge,

cut from yellow marble which is inlaid in thefoyer, was the oldest living Connecticuttrooper, Lt. Edward Steele, 99, from theclass of 1940.The museum is open to the public on Fri-

days and Saturdays, with specially scheduledtours available for groups of 10 or more. Ifyou are ever in the Meriden area, stop by andenjoy a slice of CSP history.

Lt. Ed Steele, center, unveils the original insignia atthe museum’s grand opening ceremony. At age 99,Steele is the oldest living CSP retiree.

Museum showcases history, progress


As the nation prepared to kick off the sum-mer season, the Alabama Department of

Public Safety and its law enforcement part-ners from across the state and the nation

worked to promote traffic safety.Alabama and Mississippi joined

forces in annual Hands Across the Bor-der events during the Memorial Dayweekend, kicked off with press confer-ences at welcome centers in both states.Each news conference included a childpassenger safety check and distributionof educational material on seat beltsafety and child passenger safety. TheFlorida Highway Patrol and GeorgiaState Patrol also teamed up for a HandsAcross the Border blitz in August.Hands Across the Border was cre-

ated in 1991 to increase awarenessof safety belt and child safety seatuse across the Southeastern states.Since 2007 the program has been amajor component of the successful

enforcement efforts to reduce fatalities andincrease highway safety.The troopers working together display each

state’s commitment to safer roadways.

Agencies team up for safety blitz

Florida troopers, left, joined forces with Georgia troopers inAugust for a combined safety blitz.

Alabama and Mississippi troopers discuss details ofthe event.

ZNews from Mississippi

Four-time national champs prove teamwork makes the dream workAfter three days of tough competi-

tion and surviving the Mississippi heat,the scores were tabulated. The nationalchampions remained, Team MississippiHighway Patrol.Team MHP, consisting of M/Sgt. John

Perkins, M/Sgt. Marcus Colley, Maj.Houston Dorr, and newcomer Tpr.Sedrick Horton, claimed top honors inthe national four-man LawFit Challengeheld June 14-16 in Olive Branch, Miss.Events include four-person team, pairs,and individual competitions.The event consists of a series of six

fitness and job-related competitiveevents, including bench press, sit-ups,sit and reach, pull-ups, an agilitycourse, and a 1.5-mile run – all teststhat have been found to be good predic-tors of an officer’s fitness for duty.Team MHP achieved the third highest

point total by a four-man team in the 11-year history of the LawFit competition,with the two highest point totals beingset by Team MHP in 2009 and 2010.The record, 1,496, is still held by the2010 MHP Team. At the time the four-some included Lt. Thomas Tuggle, whowas this year’s event organizer.Perkins and Colley also won the two-

man national title, and Team MHP wasthe only agency with all team membersin the top 10.“Individual accolades have never

been the focus of Team MHP,” Colley

said. “We have always focused on win-ning the team events, and that normallyensures high individual placing. TeamMHP’s motto, ‘Teamwork makes thedream work,’ is something that eachmember lives by.”While the foursome functions as a

team, individual accomplishments cannotbe ignored. Horton accomplished a featseen only six times in the LawFit Chal-lenge, by scoring 350 points individuallyas a first-time competitor. Perkins won thepull-up contest with 45, while Colley wonthe Suspect Pursuit Course (a.k.a. agilitycourse) with his time of 1:05:71. Perkinswas named Top Competitor, followedclosely by Colley.Realizing that proper fitness can be

the key to both officer and citizen sur-vival, the National Center for PublicSafety Fitness established the LawFitChallenge to recognize the men andwomen who have proven that they are fitto serve. For the past decade, lawenforcement agencies on all levels havesent their fittest officers to compete inthe annual LawFit Challenge. And TeamMHP certainly showed that its represen-tatives are fit to serve.For more information about the Law-

Fit Challenge, visit www.lawfit.org. Ifyou think you have what it takes to com-pete on this fitness level, considerjoining the 2013 event. Team MHP willwelcome the challenge.

Team MHP displays their awards after they dominated at this year’sLawFit Challenge. Pictured left to right: M/Sgt. Marcus Colley, Lt.Thomas Tuggle (event organizer), Tpr. Sedrick Horton, and M/Sgt.John Perkins (not pictured, Maj. Houston Dorr).

M/Sgt. Marcus Colley makes quick work of the agility course as hiscompetitor trails.

Four Michigan State Police troopers havebeen stationed at the same base in Afghanistanwith the Army Reserve, and the group cele-brated a military promotion last spring. Butnot long after their promotion, one of the menwas seriously injured in an attack.Tpr. Brad Howard of the MSP Hart Post,

Tpr. Joshua May of the Houghton Lake Post,and Tpr. Platt Weinrick of the Flint Post wererecognized for promotion by their operationssergeant, fellow MSP trooper Tim Larrisonof the Bay City Post.Little did the men know that only a few

weeks later one of them would fall victimto an attack that would leave him seriouslywounded and that he would miss death bymere millimeters.Weinrick sustained serious injuries dur-

ing a June 19 attack on his base camp,suffering face, eye, ear, and brain injuries.

He lost his left eye andhas shrapnel in his skull,metal that went throughhis brain before lodgingin his skull. The piecemissed critical parts of the brain, but doc-tors said that had it hit just millimetersaway, Weinrick would have had a differentoutcome, including severe brain damageand possibly death.He was transported to a hospital in Ger-

many and then to Walter Reed MedicalCenter in Maryland, and by mid-July he hadbeen cleared to return home and await fur-ther treatment, rehab, and a procedure toimplant a prosthetic eye that doctors antici-pate will have mostly natural movement.You can follow Tpr. Weinrick’s progress

and leave notes of encouragement atwww.caringbridge.org/visit/plattweinrick

Troopers serve as assessors


XNews from Michigan

rNews from tennessee

Sgt. Brad Lund, a pilot with the Ten-nessee Highway Patrol’s Aviation andSpecial Operations Unit, found amissing man approximately half amile from his home in Thompson Sta-tion the morning of July 19. The manwas believed to have dementia andwandered away from his home thenight before. The Williamson County Sheriff ’s

Department requested aviation supportfrom the THP in the search for the 67-

year-old man. Lund joined the search,and after canvassing the area for nearly45 minutes, he spotted the man lying ina shallow hole in a parking lot, where heapparently had fallen asleep overnight.Lund directed the ground team to theman’s location.“Sgt. Lund is a great pilot and did a

remarkable job in the air,” said Col.Tracy Trott of the THP. “We were glad toassist in this search and fortunate that theoutcome was a positive one.”

THP Aviation, Special Ops help rescue missing man

Sgt. Brad Lund piloted the THP helicopter and spotted the miss-ing man. Several agencies were involved in the search.

The first week of August, 10 highwaypatrol and state police agenciesassisted the Tennessee HighwayPatrol with their promotional exami-nation process for the ranks ofsergeant and lieutenant. Approxi-mately 350 candidates wereinterviewed over a six-day period.Agencies participating as assessorsincluded Alabama, Arkansas, Florida,Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missis-sippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma,and Virginia.

Michigan State Police troopers deployed to the same base inAfghanistan with the Army Reserve proudly display the MSPflag. Pictured are several members of this unit, including Tpr.Brad Howard, second from left; Tpr. Joshua May, second fromright; and Tpr. Platt Weinrick, third from right, behind the shield.

Troopers serve in Operation Enduring FreedomOne returns stateside after serious injuries

Weinrick


mNews from oregon

Events, quilt raise funds for memorial wallNew 33K event honors 33 slain troopers

KNews from florida

The Airborne Law EnforcementAccreditation Commission awardedthe Florida Highway Patrol AviationUnit full accreditation at its annualconference in Reno, Nev., on July 13.FHPAU is only the third law enforce-ment airborne unit in the UnitedStates and the first state law enforce-ment airborne unit to be accreditedby ALEAC.Through hundreds of hours tire-

lessly worked by unit aviation pilotsand agency accreditation staff, andwith the required funding and com-mitment by agency seniormanagement, ALEAC accreditationof the FHPAU was successful.ALEAC standards were achieved byenhancing policies and procedures

that encompass new safety, mainte-nance, and training requirements.Since 1962, the mission of the

FHPAU is to support FHP groundtroopers through aerial trafficenforcement, surveillance, LoJackstolen vehicle tracking, photography,disaster relief supply, equipment andpersonnel transportation, medicalrelays, roadway patrols, and otherservices as requested.Today, with a reduced work force

of eight Cessna single engine andone Piper twin engine fixed wing air-craft, the FHPAU continues toprovide the services it historicallyhas in the past but with a more robustcapability and a safer operating envi-ronment that is second to none.

FHP Aviation Unit becomes first state to receive accreditation

Lt. Mike Cendan, Capt. Matthew Walker, M/Sgt. Gary Schluter,and M/Sgt. Luis Badia, left to right, hold their award from theAirborne Law Enforcement Association for successfully com-pleting the accreditation program.

Over 160 runners and walkers joined atChampoeg State Park in St. Paul, Ore., onJune 3 to help raise funds for the OregonState Police Fallen Trooper Memorial.The event helped raise over $8,000 for a

physical memorial to honor the men andwomen of the OSP who have made the ulti-mate sacrifice.In addition to a 5K and 10K run, the event

featured a unique never-before-seen 33KCrossFit style team challenge event. Special-

ized workouts were set up by CrossFit pro-fessionals throughout the 33K race.Participants were required to complete theworkouts before allowing other team mem-bers to proceed in the relay. The event is 33Kto honor the 33 fallen Oregon troopers.The group is also raffling a commemorative

quilt featuring patches from all 49 trooper

agencies. Tick-ets are $10each and maybe purchased bymailing a check(payable to OSPFallen TrooperMemorial) toTrooper QuiltRaffle, 8085 SEDeer Creek Lane,Milwaukie, OR97222. The drawing will be held Nov. 10 at theFallen Trooper Memorial auction.The Fallen Trooper Committee is dedi-

cated to raising the funds for thememorial, with plans calling for a blackmarble wall etched with names of thefallen. With over $100,000 being raisedthus far – the halfway mark – the stonewas mined and cut this summer. For moreinformation about the wall, visitwww.ospmemorial.org

The June run raised over $8,000 for the memorial.

The one-of-a-kindquilt will beraffledto raisemoneyfor thememorialproject.

Follow AAST on Facebook!Get important news feeds and interesting links on our Facebook page,

and stay connected with troopers around the country. Become a fan today!

www.facebook.com/statetroopers

The Texas Public Safety Commission and DPS Director StevenMcCraw recognized its own through the inaugural Javier Arana Jr.Top Trooper Competition.A male and a female trooper were awarded for the best perform-

ance in a series of knowledge and skills tests. The male recipient wasTpr. Jose Rodriguez, Highway Patrol Division, and the female win-ner was Cpl. Veronica Garcia, Recruiting Division.The competition, held in February and March, involved job knowl-

edge, physical fitness, firearms proficiency, and pursuit driving. Theaward is named in honor of Tpr. Javier Arana Jr., who was killed in atwo-vehicle traffic crash in El Paso March 24. Arana’s wife and chil-dren attended the awards ceremony.The commission also recognized Michaela Burns, whose hus-

band, Tpr. James Scott Burns, was shot and killed in April 2008 bya parolee. Mrs. Burns was presented with the Pathfinder Award for

her contribution anddedication to the wel-fare of victims. Shehas volunteered tospeak at victim impactpanels for audiencesof paroled offendersin the Houston area.“We are incredibly

proud that the Aranaand Burns families arepart of the DPS fam-ily,” McCraw said. “Weoffer our prayers forcontinued strength andsupport for these fami-lies, and we will alwayshonor the sacrifice and

bravery of Tprs. Arana andBurns.”

New York State Police Superin-tendent Joseph A. D’Amicorecognized employees and swornmembers for bravery, investigativepersistence, police education, trafficsafety, and community service at thedepartment’s annual awards cere-mony in May.The Brummer Award, the

NYSP’s highest award for heroismestablished in 1968 by Wall Streetf inancier and philanthropistBertram F. Brummer, representsvalor, heroism, and outstandingperformance of duty by members

of the NYSP. This year’s presentation to Tpr. Gerald S. Segurmarked 94 times the award has been presented, including 13times posthumously.On the evening of March 26, 2011, Tpr. Jeffrey M. Grebleski was

in the town of Barton following a suspect vehicle wanted in connec-tion with the menacing of a trooper. As Grebleski stopped the vehicle,the driver exited his vehicle and approached the trooper, still in hisvehicle, with a shotgun pointed at him. Segur had arrived on thescene and fired five rounds at the suspect, disabling him a few feetaway from the troop car, preventing the gunman from injuring orkilling Grebleski.

DPS members recognized for outstanding effortsCompetition award named for fallen trooper


sNews from texas

A motorist was traveling on a rural Texas road in May when she came upon this six-foot alligator resting in the lane of traffic. Texas Highway Patrol troopers werecalled to remove the alligator, which required serious “wrangling.” Cpl. DustinBlackburn and Tpr. Ivan Brightwell worked with deputies and animal control offi-cers to wrestle the gator and place it safely back in its home in the river bottoms.

hNews from New york

Cpl. Veronica Garcia, right, is fol-lowed by judges in the contest thatgauged Texas troopers’ proficiencyin several demanding areas.

Tpr. Jose Rodriguez competes in the firearms portion of the competition.

Displaced gator

New York troopers honored for bravery, service

Segur


nNews from pennsylvania

The family of a slain state trooper is com-mitted to reducing drunk driving fatalities.On March 27, 2008, just after 10 p.m., Penn-

sylvania state trooper Kenton Iwaniec, 24,finished his shift at the Avondale Barracks inChester County and began his drive home.Soon after, the driver of an SUV crossed thecenter line, side swiped a pick-up truck, andthen hit Iwaniec’s personal vehicle head-on.Iwaniec was flown to a local hospital where hesuccumbed to his injuries two hours later.The driver of the SUV had a blood alcohol

concentration of more than four times the legallimit. She was also illegally under the influenceof Oxycodone and was driving at 73 mph in a45 mph zone with her headlights off.Despite their lives being changed forever

in the aftermath of their son’s death,Iwaniec’s parents, Ken and Debby Iwaniec,have been fighting for victims and families

devastated by impaireddrivers, and supportinglaw enforcement intheir efforts to getthose drivers off theroad. They have donated over 200 personalbreath tests (or portable breathalyzers) tothe Pennsylvania State Police and local lawenforcement agencies, made possiblethrough fundraisers.Iwaniec is survived by his parents, three

sisters, and a fiancé. Kristina Quercetti, 41, of Landenberg, was

sentenced to 8½ to 17 years in prison forhomicide by vehicle while DUI; endangeringthe welfare of a child, as her four-year-oldson was in the vehicle at the time of the crashand was uninjured; two counts of recklesslyendangering another person; and possessionof Oxycodone.

The Pennsylvania chapter of AAST hasdone it again, for a decade, in fact. Cele-brating its 10th golf tournament fundraiserfor the AAST Scholarship Foundation,troopers and friends of troopers in theDubois area played golf to raise money forthe AAST Scholarship Foundation, bring-ing in $2,800.The popular AAST-sponsored four-man

scramble golf tournament became anannual event after its debut in 2003 by then-AAST State Director Frank Thomas.Thomas, who retired from the PennsylvaniaState Police in 1995 and served as AAST’sstate director for 10 years, realized a needfor a state fundraiser.“Most people probably do not realize that

AAST benefits cost quite a bit more thanthe dues paid by members,” said Lt. JimEmigh, AAST’s current state director in

Pennsylvania. “Frank had a vision for anevent that would help offset those costs, andthe golf tournament has proven to be a hugehit among troopers and trooper supportersin this area.”This year’s tournament, held at the DuBois

Country Club in DuBois, Pa., on July 7 drew140 golfers, many of whom are loyal, lawenforcement supporters from the community,along with several local state troopers.The winning foursome shot a 58 and was

comprised of George Gasbarre, Don Jew-ell, Jim Jewell, and Jerry Wallace. Severalbusinesses were recognized for sponsoringthe tournament all 10 years, includingCaldwell Surveying, S&T Bank, ShearImagination, the Friendly Tavern, and Leg-ends Sports Bar.Thomas and his planning team are already

looking forward to the 2013 event.

10th golf tourney brings bucks for scholarships

Gene Emigh (PSP retired) lines up a putt during theAAST tourney.

Ken and Debby Iwaniec present a portable breathtest to Capt. Dante Orlandi, center, of the Pennsyl-vania State Police, one of more than 200 portablebreathalyzers donated to agencies in memory ofTpr. Kenton Iwaniec.

Family honors memory of trooper killed by drunk driverMaking strides to reduce DUIs

Iwaniec

See interesting trooper news and photos from around the country, and also track news within AAST.

Visit us online!

www.statetroopers.org

10 ______________________________________________________________________________ AAST Trooper Connection Fall 2012

SHOTS FROMAROUND THE COUNTRY

Twenty-nine Arkansas State Police trooperrecruits graduated June28 during ceremonies atthe state Capitol. Recruitsaccumulated 996 hours ofclassroom studies andpractical training and areeligible for 41 collegecredit hours toward acriminal justice degreefrom Black River TechnicalCollege at Pocahontas.

Col. Patrick Hoye, Maj. Timothy Leinen, and InterimPublic Safety Commissioner Steven Ponsetto, left toright, are pictured next to the Trooper Oran PapeMemorial Bridge sign. This summer and fall, 10bridges across Iowa will be dedicated in memory ofthe 10 Iowa state troopers who have died in the lineof duty, starting with the Oran Pape MemorialBridge on August 9. Pape was the first member ofthe department killed in the line of duty in 1936.

Tpr. Lindsey Murphy ispinned by her father, Capt.Mike Murphy. The KansasHighway Patrol welcomed16 new troopers upon theJune 9 graduation of classNo. 50.

Sgt. Kevin C. Kelley carries the MissouriState Highway Patrol memorial wreath

during Missouri’s Law EnforcementMemorial ceremony in May.

SWAT readyAfter many years of staffing a parttime SWAT Team, the Texas DPS hascreated a full-time, 20-man SWATTeam stationed in Austin. To supple-ment the SWAT Team, a 10-man SRTwas created in each of the six DPSRegions. Pictured is Region Two SRTon a recent training day, with teamleader Texas Ranger Joe Haralson atfar left. Haralson, 61, has been withthe DPS since 1972 and a Rangersince 1984.

Arkansas adds troopers

Bridges dedicated

Remembering brothers

All in the family

Bears on wheels

Iowa State Patrol safety education officers provide traffic control each year for the Des Moines Register’s annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa (RAGBRAI), a 471-mile journey

across the state. This year’s July event, with 23,000 riders, was the hottest RAGBRAI on record, with temperatures in excess of 100 degrees on four of the seven days.

Several troopers also rode in the popular event.

AAST Trooper Connection Fall 2012______________________________________________________________________________ 11

The California Highway Patrol Emergency Vehicle OperationsCourse performs a demo for the 69 CHP cadets at their July 13graduation.

Wildfires blazeThis photo of Colorado State Patrol cruisers was taken in June near Ft.

Collins, Colo., without a filter on the camera; the thick smoke was oftenoverwhelming for first responders. Wildfires blazed for weeks throughout the

state, consuming over 95,000 acres, destroying more than 400 homes, andrequiring nearly 2,000 personnel to help get the catastrophic blazes

under control. Troopers worked around the clock, while many of their own families had been given

evacuation orders.

Dick Clemens, the Massachusetts state trooper whobecame famous for his role in an iconic Norman Rockwellpainting, passed away in May at the age of 84. Clemens, aneighbor of Rockwell, was the model for “The Runaway” inwhich a state trooper talks to a boy at a lunch counter inwestern Massachusetts. Clemens is pictured in 2008 hold-ing the painting, which appeared on the cover of theSaturday Evening Post in 1958.

The North Dakota Highway Patrol welcomed eight new troopers in July who graduatedfrom the academy after completing 20 weeks of academic and physical training.

Trooper in famous painting dies

EVOC struts its stuff

Scenario training


SNews from kentucky

The Kentucky State Police rolled outthe red carpet in August at the KentuckyTheatre in Lexington as the agency pre-miered its inaugural episode of KSP TV.The short films in documentary style

format highlight the inner workings ofthe agency, giving the public a uniquelook inside the department. KSP Com-missioner Rodney Brewer debuted thefirst episode, ‘A Day in the Life of aCadet,’ on the big screen, with countlessother topics to be addressed in futureepisodes.The five- to seven-minute segments,

featuring KSP talent and programs,will be linked to the agency website,with past episodes archived onYouTube.com. The episodes aredesigned not only to generate public

interest, but to also aid inrecruitment efforts.“With limited advertising

dollars, we are utilizing socialmedia platforms to get theseprograms out to the public,”Brewer said. “Social mediahas become a crucial part ofhow we interact with eachother and an important tool forlaw enforcement.”With over 46,000 followers

on Facebook, 3,800 followerson Twitter, and over 46,000 hitson YouTube, Brewer believesthe agency’s strong social mediafollowing will be a catalyst in promotingKSP TV.“Social Media is not a fad,” Brewer

said. “It will continue to evolve, and it isimportant for agencies to recognize this inorder to stay ahead of the curve.”

Cadet life is one theme highlighted on the new KSP TV segments.

KSP TV uses social media to reach public, recruits

cNews from nebraska

In 2012 the Nebraska State Patrol celebrates 75 yearsof law enforcement service to the citizens of Nebraska.“This is an exciting milestone,” said Col. David

Sankey, NSP superintendent. “There have been sig-nificant changes over the last seven and a halfdecades. As an agency, we plan to commemorate ourpast and celebrate what the future holds.”The State Safety Patrol was created by LB147,

signed into law on May 11, 1937. On November 22,1937, 44 men took the oath of office becomingNebraska’s first statewide law enforcement officers.Today, the patrol employs more than 700 sworn andcivilian members providing traffic, investigative,

administrative, and support services statewide.In observance of its 75th anniversary, the NSP offered memorabilia for purchase

and celebrated with a July banquet to highlight the festivities, bringing together cur-rent and retired agency members and guests.

Nebraska State Patrol Celebrates 75th Anniversary

Two Nebraska troopers stand in frontof a 1938 Chevy Patrol unit. Even with the advanced technol-

ogy of today, the goal of Nebraskatroopers remains the same: to pro-tect and serve.

gNews from new mexico

The New Mexico Department of Public Safety held its annual awards pres-entation in front of a standing room-only crowd in June. Members of theNew Mexico State Police were honored for success on the job, but it was anaward presented to a teenager that made the crowd gleam with pride.The highlight of the awards was the youngest recipient, Candice Johnston,

a middle school student in Los Lunas who regularly conducts fundraisers soshe can then buy refreshments for officers conducting DWI checkpoints inher area. Johnston was presented an honorary state police commission byNMSP Chief Robert Shilling.Johnston became the youngest recipient of a DPS award.

Teen honored for serving troopersNew Mexico

State Police ChiefRobert Shilling, left,recognizes Candice

Johnston for herfundraisers that pro-vide refreshments for

officers conductingDWI checkpoints in

her town.

Robe

rt Dur

an pho

to

An Indiana State Police trooper received well-deservedrecognition, 75 years after he was killed in the line of duty.Tpr. Paul Minneman was shot down by machine gun

fire after he responded to a bank robbery by the infamousBrady Gang on May 25, 1937, in White County. He diedtwo days later, becoming the second Indiana trooper to diein the line of duty.After his death, his badge was placed on his tombstone,

but the badge was stolen. It was later recovered, but wasnever reattached to the grave marker, for fear it would bestolen again.Retired Indiana trooper Marty Talbert realized a need

to recognize Minneman’s sacrifice and service; thus

began the project to make sure his headstone reflectedjust that.At a ceremony in May, Minneman’s gravestone was

rededicated, with a new badge etched in black granite andset on the original tombstone. Minneman’s daughter, Pau-lene Schrader, who was born six months after her fatherdied, attended the event and expressed her deep apprecia-tion for an honor she never dreamed would happen.Funding for the gravestone

revision and reconditioningcame entirely from dona-tions from retired Indianastate troopers.


News from IndianaP

The Indiana State Police CommercialVehicle Enforcement Division has a knackfor No. 1.The division, responsible for enforcing

state and federal regulations involving com-mercial motor vehicles, has been named thebest commercial motor vehicle program inthe country for an unprecedented five yearsin a row. The latest award was received inApril from the Federal Motor CarrierAdministration.The division, led by Maj. Jeff Walker, Capt.

Wayne Andrews, and Lt. Mark Davis, wasranked No. 1 in the nation last year by theAmerican Transportation Research Institutefor truck inspections, traffic enforcement,and reducing the number of crashes involvingcommercial motor vehicles. They are alsonational leaders in bus inspection.Forty-one motor carrier inspectors work

at the scale houses weighing and inspectingtrucks, while 81 troopers work the roadweighing, inspecting, and enforcing laws.

Their hard work in stopping andinspecting food shipments was the drivingforce for the passing of Indiana’s “HotFood Truck” law.“Essentially the new law allows us to take

enforcement action where we had noauthority before,” Andrews said, adding thatprior to the law, CVED personnel wereallowed to inspect the load only. Now theyhave the equipment and authority to takespoiled food off the highways before it isdelivered.“I personally was involved in a couple of

those stops where I saw some pretty nastythawed and cross-contaminated food,” Sgt.John D. Bowling said. “I was glad our guyshad stopped the trucks before the spoiledfood was delivered to unsuspecting restau-rants all over Indiana.”CVED personnel are highly trained and

have also been responsible for confiscatinglarge amounts of illegal drugs being trans-ported across the state.

Cyril Cornelius Williams, the man con-victed of shooting to death an off-dutyMaryland state trooper, was sentenced in Mayto life in prison without parole plus 25 years.Williams was convicted in February of

first-degree murder in the June 2010 shoot-

ing death of Wesley Brown, a Maryland statetrooper who was working as a part-timesecurity guard at an Applebee’s restaurantin Forestville. Prosecutors say Brown hadWilliams removed from the restaurant forbeing disruptive, and Williams returned to

the restaurant andshot Brown.Williams was con-

victed of murder andof multiple weaponscrimes.

VNews from maryland

Trooper killer to spend life in prison

Brown

The gravestone of Tpr. Paul Minneman was updatedto include his cause of death and a badge to honor hissacrifice.

MinnemanEOW: May 27, 1937

Fallen trooper honored 75 years later

Division sets high standard for truck inspection

Sgt. Todd Wallace of the ISP Commercial VehicleEnforcement Division inspects a truck after stopping it for no brake lights.


pNews from south carolina

Earlier this year theSouth Carolina HighwayPatrol learned of thedeath of one of theirtroopers. Ironically, itwas the department’sfirst line-of-duty death.Patrolman (as they

were called back then) Ralph W.McCracken was on his patrol motorcyclewhen he was killed on October 12, 1931, ayear after the department was formed. Hishad not been recorded in the department’shistory books, and, therefore, had beenoverlooked in all memorial events. That hassince been rectified.McCracken’s granddaughter recently noti-

fied the Officer Down Memorial Page thather grandfather’s death was not listed. ASouth Carolina trooper then saw it listed on

ODMP.org and began to put the piecestogether of McCracken’s sacrifice.McCracken was recently inducted into the

South Carolina Fallen Police Officers Hall ofFame and will soon be added to the NationalLaw Enforcement Officers Memorial Wall.“We stand in awe at the giant shadow these

fallen heroes cast upon all the current and pasttroopers here in South Carolina,” said Sgt.Bryan McDougald (ret.) of the SCHP. “Inadding Ptlm. McCracken’s name to the list offallen police officers, you quickly realize that

there is a price for our freedoms;that price is sacrifice. We willalways remember and honor ourfallen heroes. We must neverforget.”A memorial wall was being

erected at SCHP headquarterswhen the find was made, and

McCracken’s name was placed on the wall,along with 49 other fallen troopers. Themonument was dedicated in July.McCracken was on duty when he was

involved in a collision with a mail carrier’svehicle in Fairfield County. According to thenewspaper article recently discovered (seeclipping), McCracken was on his way fromChester to join a squad of 12 patrolmen forduty out of state. He was 28 and left behinda wife and two daughters.No photo is available of McCracken.

Patrolman’s death realized eight decades later

Arkansas State Police – Chris Goodman

California Highway Patrol – Joseph Heightman

Delaware State Police – Troy Ralston

Florida Highway Patrol – Stanley Rice

Indiana State Police – Daniel Avitia, Michael Carroll

Kentucky State Police – Scott McIntosh

Massachusetts State Police – Stephen Gregorczyk

Missouri State Highway Patrol – D. Mark Hedrick

New Mexico State Police – Thomas Long

New York State Police – James Conway

North Carolina State Highway Patrol – Bennie Grady

Ohio State Highway Patrol – William Elschlager,Timothy Gossett, Anik LaPage

Oregon State Police – Gregory Costanzo

Rhode Island State Police – RISP Violent Fugitive Task Force

South Carolina Highway Patrol – Anthony Fox

Tennessee Highway Patrol – Dwayne Stanford

Texas DPS – Christopher Cash, Adam Sweaney, Texas Rangers Company “E”

Virginia State Police – Becky Curl, Jason Hypes

West Virginia State Police – Gregory Stalnaker

Sgt. Stalnaker, center,receives the Trooper of the Year award from AAST President KeithBarbier, right. Capt. BillScott of the WVSP, left, also attended the presentation luncheon.

Congratulations to all 2012 Trooper of the Year

nominees:

actions: It began as an ordinary day for the 18-year trooper. But the unexpected demandedthe extraordinary, and Stalnaker delivered.As AAST Trooper of the Year, Stalnaker and

his wife were treated by AAST to an all expensepaid trip to Atlanta to receive his award and acash gift of $1,000 during the June 2 luncheon.

The AAST Trooper of the Year award ispresented annually to a state trooper whoexemplified traits of an outstanding lawenforcement officer in the previous year.For more information about AAST and

the Trooper of the Year award, visitwww.statetroopers.org

TROOPER OF THE YEARContinued from front page

Kenn

y Kem

p/Ch

arleston

Gaz

ette

U.S. marshals andstate police officersstand outside the

house where adeputy marshal was

killed before Sgt.Stalnaker shot andkilled the suspect.


Troy L. Abney, 51, was appointedchief of the Nevada Highway PatrolApril 9.With 28 years of law enforcement

experience, Abney retired as assistantchief of the California Highway Patrol,most recently serving as director oftraining for the Oregon Department ofPublic Safety Standards and Training.While with the CHP, he was com-

mander of the SWAT Team assigned tothe state Capitol, and also served withbicycle patrol, hazardous device detail,criminal investigations, and leadingGov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s protec-tive detail. He was the foundingmember and commander of the CHPSpecial Operation Team.

Abney has completed several leader-ship training programs, including theFBI National Academy. He is a gradu-ate and instructor in the InternationalAssociation of Chiefs of Police Leader-ship in Police Organizations and holdsbachelor’s and master’s degrees in busi-ness administration.

Col. Timothy P. Alben was appointed tothe position of colonel/superintendent ofthe Massachusetts State Police on July 13.He began his MSP career in 1982 and

worked with the office of the HampdenCounty District Attorney and the Spe-cial Service Section, Organized CrimeUnit. He was promoted to captain in

2004, and in 2007 he was promoted tomajor and soon returned to commandthe Tactical Operations Section in2008. Alben was promoted to lieu-tenant colonel and commander of theDivision of Field Services in 2010.Alben has a bachelor’s degree in crim-

inal justice from Westfield State

University, a master’s degree in criminaljustice administration from WesternNew England University, and a master’sdegree in security studies (homelanddefense and security) from the NavalPostgraduate School in Monterey, Calif.He is a graduate of the FBI NationalAcademy and the National PreparednessLeadership Initiative at Harvard’sKennedy School of Government.

Alben

Abney

Massachusetts State Police

Nevada Highway Patrol

On May 23 the Oregon State Senate con-firmed Richard Evans Jr. as the 12thsuperintendent of the Oregon State Police.A 25-year OSP veteran, Evans, 47, started

his career in 1987 with an assignment in

executive security before being hired in 1988as a patrol recruit trooper with an initialassignment in Umatilla. He was appointeddeputy superintendent in November 2010and previously held positions as a major with

the Police Services Bureau, a captain withthe Office of Professional Standards, and alieutenant and sergeant with the PortlandArea Command Office. He also workedpatrol and Criminal Division assignments atnumerous locations.No photo is available of Evans.

New directors take lead of departmentsAAST proudly introduces the new leaders of the following departments.

We wish you the best as you take on the challenges of your new position.

Oregon State Police

The following conversationactually took place when a Col-orado trooper recently stopped awoman for texting while drivingon I-25:Woman: “Am I not allowed to

use my phone here?”Trooper: “You’re not allowed to

text and drive anywhere, ma’am.”Woman: “I wasn’t texting; I was

checking Facebook.”(Stunned silence with a dumfounded stare.)Trooper: “Really, ma’am? Really?”

Humor on the Highways

Send your humorous on-the-job story (300 words max), along with yourphoto, for consideration in the Trooper Connection newsletter:

[email protected] or by mail:AAST

Humor on the Highways 1949 Raymond Diehl Rd.

Tallahassee, FL 32308

Confused texter astounds trooper

Follow AAST on Facebook!Get important news feeds and interesting links on our Facebook page,

and stay connected with troopers around the country. Become a fan today!

www.facebook.com/statetroopers


Relics from the RoadTrooper hails from long line of law enforcementCharlie Dobbs has law enforcement in his blood.

His father and two uncles were police officers, andhis brother and another uncle served as New Yorkstate troopers. After serving three years in the U.S.Army, Dobbs joined the New York State Police, retir-ing as a zone sergeant in 1977 after 31 years ofservice, at the then-mandatory age of 55.His son, William, served 30 years as a New York

state trooper, retiring in 2004. Upon his dad’s retire-ment in 1977, William was assigned his father’sshield No. 505. Charlie Dobbs, now 90, is the onlyNYSP trooper who has lost two family memberskilled in the line of duty. His uncle, Theodore Dobbs,

was killed Sept. 29, 1924, when a mail truck collidedwith his state police motorcycle. Dobbs’ olderbrother, William, was killed in an Aug. 27, 1939,motorcycle accident while on patrol. It stands to rea-son that when Dobbs reported for NYSP duty in1946, his captain emphatically told him, “Don’t everask me for a motorcycle.”His love of law enforcement keeps Dobbs actively

involved, currently serving as the Southern Tier chap-ter president of the Association of Former New YorkState Troopers.If you would like to contact Dobbs, you may e-mail

him at [email protected]

Charlie Dobbs, 1950s, NYSP

Delaware state trooper, left,and Alaska state trooperArizona DPS Washington State Patrol

Across country to pay respectsEach May law enforcement agencies send officers to represent the agency at National PoliceWeek in Washington, D.C. This year was no exception, when state troopers joined thousands

of officers who came from around the globe to pay homage to their brother officers.

LNews from georgia

New Georgia troopersThe 89th Georgia State Patrol Trooper School graduated 45 new troopers on June 1. Lt.Buddy Johnson, SFC Frank Pfirman, Cpl. Ronnie Lee, and TFC Craig Singletary performed“We Stand for Georgia,” a song written for the GSP by the Governor’s Office of HighwaySafety Director Harris Blackwood.


Paying tribute for the ultimate sacrificeAAST pays tribute to the troopers recently killed in the line of duty.

We honor those who have given their lives in service to their departments and their community.AAST was proud to make a donation from its Brotherhood Assistance fund to the surviving families of these troopers.

Cpl. Marshall Lee Bailey, a 17-year vet-eran of the West Virginia State Police, waskilled Aug. 28 when he and Tpr. EricMichael Workman were shot during a trafficstop in Roane County. Workman succumbedto his injuries three days later.The suspect, Luke Baber, was driving a

stolen vehicle when he was stopped by thetwo troopers just after 7:30 p.m. The troop-ers, not knowing the vehicle had beenstolen, arrested Baber on suspicion ofimpaired driving. While both troopers were

seated in the front seats of Bailey’s cruiser,Baber produced a hidden 9mm handgunand shot both troopers. Bailey was killedinstantly, while Workman remained on lifesupport with critical injuries until his deathon Aug. 31.After the shooting, Baber freed himself

from his handcuffs and escaped from theback seat of the cruiser, taking Bailey’ssidearm. Baber then shot the tow truckdriver, who survived. When Baber was located, gunfire was

exchanged between Baber and respondingdeputies, during which time a deputy wasshot, and Baber was shot and killed.

Bailey, 42, graduated as amember of the WVSP 44thCadet Class in 1996 andserved his entire career atthe Clay Detachment. He issurvived by three children,his parents, and a brother.Workman, 26, enlisted in

the WVSP in January 2011and was assigned to theGrantsville Detachmentuntil his recent transfer tothe Clay Detachment. He issurvived by his parents anda sister.

West Virginia

Aaron R. Beesley, a 13-year veteran of the UtahHighway Patrol, was killedJune 30 during a searchand rescue mission whenhe fell off a 90-foot clifffollowing the rescue of twoteenage hikers.

Beesley, 34, had served as a f ieldtrooper in several counties and had workedfor the Technology Section. His currentassignment was working at the Utah High-way Safety Off ice in a temporary

assignment overseeing the collection ofdata for crash reports. He was also the pri-mary flight technical officer for the DPSAero Bureau, the job he was doing whenthis tragedy occurred.He enjoyed working with computers and

technology and had developed several appsfor smart phones, such as an app that helpstroopers with the standardized field sobri-ety tests for impaired driving suspects. Healso developed several apps to assist heli-copter pilots.During his career as a trooper, he had

received life saving awards and a Medal ofExcellence.Along with his assignments for the UHP,

Beesley had been assistant chief of policewith Corrine City the past year and hadworked with the Corrine City Fire Depart-ment for the last five years.He is survived by his wife and three boys,

age 7 and 5-year-old twins. Beesley’s brotheris also a UHP trooper.

Bailey

Utah

Workman

Ofcr. Kenyon Youngstrom,37, of the CaliforniaHighway Patrol suc-cumbed to injuriessustained after being shotduring a traffic stop onSept. 4 in Walnut Creeknear San Francisco. He

died Sept. 5.Youngstrom had stopped on the shoulder

of I-680 to check on a deer carcass whenanother officer radioed that he was pullingover a vehicle for an obstructed license plate.As the vehicle approached Youngstrom’sposition, he signaled for the driver to pull inbehind his parked patrol car.As Youngstrom approached his vehicle,

the driver shot him. The other officer imme-diately returned fire, killing the subject,Christopher Boone Lacy, 36. Youngstrom

was transported to a local hospital, where hedied the next day. At press time, the investi-gation was ongoing, and a motive had notbeen determined.A U.S. Army veteran, Youngstrom had

served with the CHP for seven years. He issurvived by his wife and four children.

Youngstrom

California

Tpr. Bobby Gene DeMuth Jr., a 12-yearveteran of the North Carolina State High-way Patrol, was killed just before 8 a.m. onSept. 8 when he was struck by a car nearRaleigh.DeMuth was deploying stop sticks for a

vehicle being pursued by Raleigh police offi-cers when the suspect vehicle struck andkilled DeMuth. The suspect, ChristopherMcCoy Rodgers, was taken into custody ashort distance away. At press time, the inves-tigation was ongoing.A former member of the U.S. Marine

Corps, DeMuth began his law enforcementcareer with the Wilson and Edgecombe

county sheriff's offices. Heworked for the North Car-olina DMV before becominga state trooper and was sta-tioned at the NCSHP RockyMount patrol office at thetime of his death.DeMuth, 42, is survived

by his wife and an 8-year-old son.

DeMuth

North Carolina

Beesley


With Thanks

John C. Kreps

Dear AAST:Thank you very much for the death benefit check I received so promptly after my husband,

John C. Kreps, died Feb. 22, 2011. I was overwhelmed by all the things that needed to be doneand the paperwork involved. AAST’s processing procedure was very easy to comply with.After serving in the U.S. Navy for six years during WWII, John joined the New Jersey State

Police. John was a dedicated law enforcement officer for 25 years, retiring in 1974.John was proud to be a member of the Former NJSP Troopers Association and the American Asso-

ciation of State Troopers so he could keep up with what was going on with troopers from other states.Thanks for being there.

Sincerely,

Lillian E. Kreps

June 29-30 six state police and highway patrol agencies joinedforces in a multi-state event to rid the roads of intoxicated drivers.Troopers from the Indiana State Police, Kentucky State

Police, Michigan State Police, Ohio State Highway Patrol, Penn-sylvania State Police, and West Virginia State Police worked acombined DUI enforcement initiative to combat impaired driv-ing as the Fourth of July holiday period approached.As part of the Six-State Trooper Project, troopers set up mul-

tiple sobriety check points across the collaborating states to getreckless drivers under the influence of either alcohol or drugsoff the road.The six-state initiative resulted in 614 DUI arrests. The six

agencies are gearing up for another wave of the project, slatedfor Sept. 27-29 with a marijuana interdiction emphasis.

Six states crack down on holiday DUIs

The IndianaState Policeposted 102DUI arrestsstatewideduring themulti-stateinitiative.

Active Trooper Member - $75 per yearFull-time currently active troopers and state police officers• AAST ID Card• Insurance Package (after six-month waiting period)• $5,000 term life insurance• $5,000 accidental death and dismemberment benefit• $5,000 line of duty benefit• $5,000 seatbelt benefit• $5,000 airbag benefit• Accidental Death and Dismemberment Family BenefitsPackage• MedEx Travel Assistance Program• Up to $2,500 in scholarships for trooper members’qualifying dependents• Trooper Connection newsletter

Retired Trooper Member I - $75 per yearRetired troopers and state police officersApplication for this category must be received by AASTwithin 12 months of your official retirement date. Those whohave been retired more than 12 months qualify for member-ship in the Retired Trooper Member II category.• AAST ID Card• Insurance Package (after six-month waiting period)• $5,000 term life insurance• $5,000 accidental death and dismemberment benefit• $5,000 seatbelt benefit• $5,000 airbag benefit• Accidental Death and Dismemberment FamilyBenefits Package• MedEx Travel Assistance Program• Up to $2,500 in scholarships for trooper members’qualifying dependents• Trooper Connection newsletter• Special optional vision insurance benefit

Honorable Service Member - $75 per yearFormer troopers with at least 10 years of honorable serviceApplication must be received by AAST within 12 monthsof leaving employment.• AAST ID Card• Insurance Package (after six-month waiting period)• $5,000 term life insurance• $5,000 accidental death and dismemberment benefit• $5,000 seatbelt benefit• $5,000 airbag benefit• Accidental Death and Dismemberment FamilyBenefits Package• MedEx Travel Assistance Program• Up to $2,500 in scholarships for trooper members’qualifying dependents• Trooper Connection newsletter

Retired Trooper Member II - $35 per yearRetired troopers and state police officers who have been retired more than 12 months• AAST ID Card• Up to $2,500 in scholarships for trooper members’qualifying dependents• Trooper Connection newsletter

JOIN US TODAY!AAST invites all active and retired troopers to join AAST and receive valuable benefits and services.

AAST offers four categories of membership:

AAST is a not-for-profit organization and is not a union. It is a fraternal-type organization providing camaraderie and needed supplemental benefits to help improve troopers’ lives.

For more information call 1-800-765-5456 (ext. 204) or visit www.statetroopers.orgBenefits are reviewed periodically by the National Board of Directors and are subject to change without notice.


American Association of State Troopers, Inc.Membership Application

AMERICANASSOCIATION

OFSTATETROOPERS, INC.

1949 Raymond Diehl Road, Tallahassee, FL 32308 • (800) 765-5456 • FAX (850) 385-8697 • www.statetroopers.org

Six states crack down on holiday DUIs

To be considered for membership, application must be received by AAST within 12 months of your official retirement date.

To be considered for membership, application must be received by AAST within 12 months of leaving employment.

Retired for more than 12 months. No insurance benefit offered in this category.

PRSRT STDU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDMILWAUKEE, WIPERMIT NO. 5654

1949 Raymond Diehl RoadTallahassee, FL 32308

AMERICANASSOCIATION

OFSTATETROOPERS, INC.

Capt. John Paul, left, and Lt. Scott Woodward, right, both of the Oklahoma HighwayPatrol, stand with Virginia State Police trooper Jeff Hanna when they were on detailwith the Oklahoma governor at the 2012 National Governor’s Association Conference inWilliamsburg, Va., in July. The Virginia State Police sent troopers to assist the New Jersey State

Police with the funeral of Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno’s father in April. Pic-tured left to right: Sgt. Pete Ramsey and Tpr. Robert Stelzle (NJSP), Tpr.Robert Robinson and Sgt. Jeff Jones (VSP).

The Wyoming Highway Patrol partnered with Utah Highway Patrol and SafeKids Uinta County at a recent child safety seat check-up event held inEvanston, Wyo. During the event, troopers inspected seats, educated parentson proper use, and replaced, free of charge to the family, damaged and out-dated child safety seats.

Troopers unite across the U.S.

aast names 2012 trooper of the year · virginia state police was named the american association of...

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