New officers Stephen Pendergrass (left) and Larry Johnson (right) pose with Chief Jason Parker during Tuesday morning’s meeting of the Dalton Public Safety Commission
Two new Dalton police officers were confirmed by unanimous vote of the Public Safety Commission at Tuesday morning’s monthly meeting. Officers Larry Johnson and Stephen Pendergrass were both confirmed by a 3-0 vote of the commission (members Keith Whitworth and Kenneth Willis did not attend the meeting).
Officer Stephen Pendergrass is a 2002 graduate of Northwest Whitfield High School and earned his bachelor’s degree from American Military University in 2013. He served 10 years in the United States Army before joining the police department. Officer Pendergrass has already distinguished himself during his training for his role with the department, earning the Academic Award from the police academy as the top academic performer in his class.
Officer Larry Johnson is a 2012 graduate of Dade County High School and he holds an associate’s degree from Chattanooga State Community College and a bachelor’s degree from Dalton State College which he earned earlier this year.
Both officers graduated from the police academy last week and will now begin the Dalton Police Department’s Field Training Officer program, in which they will ride with and be evaluated by experienced mentor officers. They will receive their DPD badges in a ceremony at the Police Services Center on Wednesday.