The Dalton Police Department’s three newest officers received their badges in a ceremony Monday afternoon at the Police Services Center, officially marking the start of their duties with the agency. Officers John Gurrieri, Jacob Allen, and Serena Martin all graduated from the Georgia Public Safety Training Center (GPSTC) Police Academy in Forsyth on Friday.
Officer Gurrieri is from Staten Island, New York but has called northwest Georgia home for more than seven years. A 2006 graduate of Gordon Central High School, Officer Gurrieri has also studied marketing at Dalton State College. He is married to Johna Gurrieri.
Officer Allen is northwest Georgia native from Resaca and a 2009 graduate of Southeast Whitfield High School. He studied criminal justice at Dalton State College. Officer Allen finished second in his class academically at the GPSTC Academy.
Officer Serena Martin comes to the DPD from East Ridge. She previously served in the United States Army, rising to the rank of specialist. She has an associate’s degree in criminal justice from Cleveland State, and is studying at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. She will have two sons serving in the military. Her son Mason Martin is serving with the Army Reserves and her son Trevor will be leaving for basic training in the Army soon.
All three officers will begin their duties as DPD officers by taking part in the agency’s field training program.