SELMA – The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency’s (ALEA) Secretary Hal Taylor administered the oath of office and officially welcomed the 55 members of Trooper Class 2019-C today, Nov. 21, during graduation at the agency’s Alabama Criminal Justice Training Center, in Selma.
Secretary Taylor said these events are becoming a regular occurrence, thanks to Governor Kay Ivey and the Legislature’s continued support and funding. “Our agency is moving in a positive direction. We are pleased to welcome members of this class to our ALEA family,” he said.
The largest Trooper class since 1997, Class 2019-C was an accelerated training comprising individuals who already were certified with the Alabama Peace Officers Standards and Training Commission (APOSTC). During FY2020, which began Oct. 1, the agency received $5.5 million to hire and equip 50 additional Troopers. Previously, ALEA received a General Fund appropriation of $3.3 million in FY2018 to hire and equip 30 Troopers, and it received $3.2 million in FY2019 to hire and equip another 30 Troopers.
Special guest speaker U.S. Attorney Louis V. Franklin Sr. of the Middle District of Alabama said it was his honor to join the law enforcement community today to recognize the new Troopers and their families. He urged graduates to remember they are more than “just law enforcement officers. You are ambassadors – not just for the Alabama State Troopers, but for the entire criminal justice system.”
Near the end of the ceremony, class officers took a moment to invite classmate Trooper Jere Jensen to join them at the front. Class members learned while getting to know each other what inspired Trooper Jensen to leave his position with the Geneva County Sheriff’s Office and to pursue this latest career challenge. The Troopers who investigated his daughter Lindsey Jensen’s fatal traffic crash this past February so impressed him, he wanted to become one. Members of 2019-C were touched and chose to dedicate their class -- and their careers -- to Lindsey’s memory.
ALEA’s next graduation will be Tuesday, Dec. 3, as Trooper Class 2019-B wraps up a 22-week academy, which is the standard length of training for individuals who are not APOST-certified.
For information on becoming an ALEA Trooper or joining the agency’s civilian support staff, please visit https://www.alea.gov/about-alea/employment-information, which includes a short video on all this multifaceted agency has to offer.
