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Greensboro Police Department graduates 118th Academy class; council approved brief closed session and adjourned
Summary
The Greensboro Police Department held a graduation ceremony for its 118th Police Academy class, honoring 25 recruits and presenting awards, while the governing body held brief procedural motions to enter a closed session under state statute and to adjourn.
The Greensboro Police Department onstage in Greensboro, N.C., celebrated the graduation of its 118th Police Academy class, honoring 25 recruits with diplomas, badges and multiple awards. Chief John Thompson and Captain Tony Tunstall spoke to families, elected officials and training staff about the department's support and the recruits' commitment to service.
The ceremony included ceremonial music and an invocation, special awards for academic and physical achievement and the Michael G. Winslow Memorial Award. Captain Tony Tunstall, commanding officer of the department's training division, introduced the recruits and training staff and noted that the academy included roughly 1,000 hours of instruction. Training staff presented the highest academic average ("92.99%") and several firearms and fitness awards; Recruit Marlo Wood received the Michael G. Winslow Memorial Award for excellence and professionalism.
The city governing body conducted two brief procedural actions tied to the event: an unidentified speaker moved "I move to go into closed session to discuss pre litigation settlement matters pursuant to North Carolina general statute 143-318.11," and the motion was seconded and carried by a unanimous "Aye" vote. After the graduation activities, the meeting returned to open session and a motion to adjourn (moved by Mister Holston, seconded by Missus Therm) also passed unanimously.
Recruit Peppers delivered the class address, framing policing as a moral call to serve and quoting Isaiah: "Here am I. Send me." Peppers thanked family members, instructors and fellow cadets, recounted the rigors of training including exposure to OC spray and taser exercises, and highlighted peer mentoring and an injured classmate (identified as Tate) who remained part of the class's brotherhood. Peppers urged graduates to wear the badge with humility and to continue learning in the field.
Attendance and acknowledgments during the ceremony included Chief John Thompson's mention of Mayor Nancy Vaughn, Mayor Pro Tem Mary K. Abuzader and council members Thurm and Pinder, whom Thompson thanked for their support. No policy decisions, ordinance votes or budget actions were recorded during the ceremony.
The ceremony concluded with recruits coming forward to receive diplomas and have badges pinned by loved ones; several names were read aloud as part of the presentation, including Kevin Armenta, Brian Cohen, Jalen Day, Adam Eberly and Ben Eckhart. The governing body adjourned the meeting following the ceremony.
