SAVANNAH, GA (July 23, 2021) – Today the Savannah Police Department gathered to celebration the promotion and graduation of officers at a ceremony at the Johnny Mercer Theater.
“Today we congratulate and honor each of you for your outstanding achievement,” Chief Roy Minter said at today’s ceremony. “As you settle into your new role as officers entering PTOs, command staff and sergeants, I suggest you take some time reflecting on today’s achievement.”
Minter continued by thanking the officers for their hard work and reminded them of the high expectations expected of them and their core values, ethics and integrity.
Ten officers were promoted to the ranks of sergeant, lieutenant and captain, and one officer was appointed to the rank of major. In addition, eight officers were officially inducted into the Savannah Police Department.
The new officers have successfully completed 11 weeks of state mandated training at the Georgia Public Safety Training Center and an additional four weeks of specialized training at SPD’s Patrol School. Today they took their oath of office. Their loved ones took turns on the stage pinning their SPD badges on their chest for the first time.
“Policing in 2021 is hard. It’s difficult,” said Mayor Van Johnson. “It’s sometimes a job people now would rather not do, but I will tell you that our community, our city, our state, our nation, our world is continually made better by people who run to trouble instead of running away from it. Our profession is made better from the vast majority of those whose badges remain as clean as the day they receive them, but also their lives as clean.”
APPOINTMENT:
- Major Ben Herron
Prior to his appointment to major, Herron commanded the Northwest Precinct. He joined the department in January 1988 and was promoted to the rank of captain in 2001.He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Savannah State University and a Master’s in Public Administration from Columbus State University. He is also a graduate of the Southern Police Institute. He has been assigned as major over the Criminal Investigations Unit.
PROMOTIONS:
- Shamonica Badie and Capt. Bradley Beddow
- Zachary Burdette and Lt. Maurice Sanders
- Joseph Bejnarowicz, Sgt. Scott Bill, Sgt. Michael Dobson, Sgt. Michael Rowan, Sgt. Kaishawn Samuell and Sgt. Ronald Smith
GRADUATES:
- Danielle Cissell
- Ernest Ferguson
- Ryann Gotay
- Brian Hills
- Jeremy Salerno
- Matthew Soto
- Ethan Vollrath
