NYS POLICE/Superintendent Keith M. Corlett announces 209th Session Graduation from the New York State Police Basic School

PRESS RELEASE 

Superintendent Keith M. Corlett congratulated 226 new State Troopers as they graduated today from the 209th session of the Basic School of the New York State Police Academy.

“After months of difficult classwork and training, the 209th Basic School graduates join the ranks of one of the finest police agencies in the world,” said New York State Police Superintendent Keith M. Corlett. “This graduation is the culmination of 26 weeks of hard work and perseverance. I congratulate all of our new Troopers and thank them for their continued dedication and determination.”

In addition to honoring all graduates from the 209th Session of Basic School, Superintendent Corlett presented the following awards:

Academic Achievement Award

As a special incentive for all students attending the State Police Academy Basic School, the Superintendent sponsors the awarding of a firearm for the attainment of the highest level of academic performance during Academy training.

The winner of the “Academic Performance Award” is Trooper Michael A. Nash, a 30-year-old resident of Watervliet, New York. He is a graduate of Albany College of Pharmacy with a Bachelor of Science degree in Clinical Lab Sciences. Throughout the Academy training program, he achieved an outstanding overall academic average of 96.6 percent. He will be assigned to Troop G.

Firearms Proficiency Award

The New York State Trooper Foundation has sponsored the awarding of a firearm for the attainment of the highest level of performance in all phases of firearms training.

The winner of the Superintendent’s Firearms Proficiency Award is Trooper Zachariah T. Gildemeister, 24, of Rushford, New York. He is a graduate of Houghton College with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology. Prior to joining the New York State Police, he owned a landscaping company.  During firearms training, he fired an average score of 250 out of a possible 250.  He will be assigned to Troop D.

Investigator Joseph T. Aversa Physical Fitness Award

The New York State Police Investigators Association has sponsored the awarding of a firearm for the attainment of the highest degree of physical fitness during the Physical Training Program at the Academy.  This award will be presented in memory of deceased Investigator Joseph Aversa.  Investigator Aversa made the ultimate sacrifice in New York City on March 5, 1990, during a narcotics investigation while serving as a member of the Joint Drug Enforcement Task Force.  Investigator Aversa was a six-year State Police veteran who believed that physical conditioning was an integral part of being a Trooper.

The winner of the Joseph T. Aversa Physical Training Award is Trooper Joseph F. Roth.  He is 23 and resides in Watkins Glen, New York.  He is a graduate of St. John Fisher College with a Bachelor Degree in Human Resources Management. He served with the NYS Parks Police prior to joining the New York State Police.  During the physical agility test, he achieved the highest score of all 226 Members of the 209th Session, a tribute to his superb physical conditioning.  He will be assigned to Troop G.

Student Representative

The New York State Troopers Police Benevolent Association has sponsored the awarding of a firearm to the member of the class who is selected by his or her peers to represent them during these exercises. The PBA presents the award in memory of Trooper John J. McKenna IV, who was killed in action in 2006, while serving his country as a Marine in Iraq.

Trooper Michael R. Green has been chosen as the class representative.  He is 25 and resides in Richmondville, New York.  He is a graduate of Mercyhurst University with a Bachelor Degree in Criminal Justice. Prior to joining the New York State Police, he served in the United States Army Reserves as a Military Police Officer and with the Vermont State Police. He will be assigned to Troop D.

The graduation ceremony was held at the New York State Police Academy in Albany. The National Anthem was performed by Sergeant Elizabeth Fallon. The ceremony included a video presentation of the training received by all members of the 209th Basic School Session.

The new troopers will report for field duty on March 23, 2020.  For the following 10 weeks, the new troopers will be evaluated under a field-training program supervised by senior Field Training Officers.

Below is a list of field training Troop assignments where graduates will begin field duty supervised by senior training officers.  Included are the hometowns of the graduates.