W’burg Police Officers Cope, Patrick graduate from police academy

A pair of Williamsburg police officers graduated from the police academy Thursday, including one officer who graduated as a recruit of distinction.

Williamsburg police officers Matthew Cope and Dorman R. Patrick Jr. were among 29 officers, who were part of the Department of Criminal Justice Training (DOCJT) Law Enforcement Basic Training’s Class 503.

Cope was one of two officers recognized as a recruit of distinction.

To earn this recognition, a student must not fail any tested area, not receive any disciplinary action, earn an evaluation rating of acceptable in every observed category and score an average of 95 percent or higher on all academic tests. Recruits of distinction must participate in a community project and actively promote teamwork within the class environment.

Cope is assigned as one of five school resource officers at the University of the Cumberlands.

Patrick is assigned as a road officer.

“They did great. They are both back and working” Williamsburg Police Chief Wayne Bird said Monday.

Cope and Patrick completed the 20-week, 800-hour Law Enforcement Basic Training Course, which is mandatory for all Kentucky law enforcement officers, who are required to comply with the 1998 Peace Officers Professional Standards Act.

The Department of Criminal Justice Training provides entry level and advanced individual training for about 9,000 law enforcement personnel annually.

Included in the training are Kentucky city and county police departments, telecommunicators, coroners, sheriff’s officers, university police, state motor vehicle enforcement officers, airport police and other law enforcement officers from local and state criminal justice agencies.

In late June, three other Williamsburg police officers graduated from the police academy. The five police officers undergoing basic training in the police academy was the most officers that the Williamsburg Police Department had ever had there at one time.

In addition, Laurel County Sheriff’s Deputy Allen M. Turner also graduated from the police academy Thursday.