State Transport Police Welcomes 10 New Officers in Graduation Ceremony

For Immediate Release
June 16, 2023
Contact: Kyle McGahee, Office of Public Affairs, 803-896-8747

Media: Photos from the ceremony will be posted to the SC Department of Public Safety’s Flickr account and SCDPS Facebook page. Please continue to check for updates.

COLUMBIA — The South Carolina State Transport Police held a graduation ceremony today for 10 new officers. This graduating class includes officers from all areas of the state, along with recruits from Pennsylvania and Texas.

A division of the South Carolina Department of Public Safety, STP is primarily responsible for enforcing state and federal laws governing commercial motor vehicle traffic.

“These men and women joined the State Transport Police, ready and willing to fill a vital role in highway safety,” said SCDPS Director Robert G. Woods, IV. “I am privileged to welcome them to the Department of Public Safety and I am excited to see them begin their rewarding career.”

New STP officers attend and graduate from Basic Training at the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy. Each officer then goes on to complete more specialized commercial motor vehicle training. The total training time for a new STP officer is nine months. Training includes basic law enforcement; size and weight enforcement; hazardous materials regulations; conducting safety inspections and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulations.

“Today, I am honored to welcome another outstanding group of officers to the State Transport Police family and the DPS team,” said Colonel Dean M. Dill, STP Commander. “The training for STP officers is often longer and more intense due to the nature of our mission, but it also makes them experts in their field. I am looking forward to seeing this group put their training into practice and serve our state well.”

This year’s STP graduates include:

(Click on name for portraits)

Region 1 (Columbia):

Officer C.M. Rouse, Hometown: Philadelphia, PA

Region 2 (Greenwood):

Lance Corporal T.D. Fagan, Hometown: Timmonsville, SC

Lance Corporal C.A. Burden, Hometown: Calhoun Falls, SC

Region 3 (Greenville):

Officer T.R. Grate, Hometown: Pendleton SC

Officer H.M. Gilstrap, Hometown: Killeen, TX

Region 4 (Rock Hill):

Officer A.R. Shippy, Hometown: Gaffney, SC

Lance Corporal J.C. Hughes, Hometown: Fort Mill, SC

Region 5 (Florence):

Lance Corporal J.S. Peavy, Hometown: Galivants Ferry, SC

Region 6 (Dorchester):

Officer M.S. Reynolds, Hometown: Florence, SC

Special awards from this class include:

Colonel Leroy Taylor Distinguished Graduate Award: This award is presented to the STP graduate with the highest GPA in all state and federal courses.

Lance Corporal C.A. Burden, Hometown: Calhoun Falls, SC

The South Carolina Department of Public Safety includes the Highway Patrol, State Transport Police, Bureau of Protective Services, Office of Highway Safety and Justice Programs, and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Officers Hall of Fame. Our mission is to ensure public safety by protecting and serving the people of South Carolina and its visitors.