SPRINGFIELD, Mo., May 9, 2025 – Drury University’s Law Enforcement Academy honored its 2025 graduates during a pinning ceremony, Thursday, at Stone Chapel. Graduates from both Springfield and West Plains campuses were honored at the ceremony.
The pinning ceremony is an award ceremony for the completion of the Law Enforcement Academy, and offers graduates an opportunity to receive their service badges from their current or future agencies.
Representatives from 17 local law enforcement agencies were in attendance, including the Greene County Sheriff’s Office, the Christian County Sheriff’s Office, and the Nixa Police Department. Also in attendance were representatives of the Alton Police Department, Cassville Police Department, Cedar County Sheriff’s Office, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office, Monett Police Department, Mountain Grove Police Department, Mountain View Police Department, Sparta Police Department, Webster County Sheriff’s Office, West Plains Police Department, Willow Springs Police Department, Wright County Sheriff’s Office, and the Shannon County Sheriff’s Office.
A total of 24 graduates received their Missouri Police Officers Standards of Training (POST) Class A Licenses during the pinning ceremony. Twenty of the graduates were pinned for the first time by their agencies.
“This graduating academy class completed over 750 hours of basic police training over the last nine months,” Law Enforcement Academy Executive Director Chris Johns said. “These graduates will help fill the public safety needs of communities all over southwest and south-central Missouri. The Drury Law Enforcement Academy is proud to have provided their training foundation they will now build upon for the duration of their careers.”
Academy graduates Megan Barnes and Jacob McTeer spoke on behalf of their class, and LEA instructor Dakota Paris provided the primary address.
For more information on the Drury University Law Enforcement Academy, please click here.
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Media Contact: Cris Belvin, Director of University Communications & Media Relations | (417) 873-7392 | gbelvin@drury.edu