GSP Post 52 Announces Addition of Two New Troopers

The Georgia State Patrol Hartwell Post 52 officially welcomed its two newest troopers this week.

They are troopers Justin Ray and Matthew Bradley joined the Post in April after graduating trooper school.

Post Commander Al Whitworth said the two are from Hart and Franklin County respectively both have military backgrounds.

Whitworth said Trooper Ray excelled in his classes at trooper training school.

He is from Hartwell and graduated from Hart County High School in 2009,” Whitworth said. “Did a great job in (trooper) school. He actually won the Top Gun award for firearms proficiency. He’s also a United States Marine Reservist and serves with a unit out of Greenville. So, we’re excited to have him.”

Prior to going to trooper school, Ray was a radio dispatcher for the GSP in their Gainesville Post.

Trooper Bradley is from the Canon area and according to Whitworth has served in the Army before joining the Georgia State Patrol.

“He graduated from Franklin County High School in 2000,” Whitworth said. “His family has a farm and he still works on the family farm. His family has a great reputation in the Community. He served about eight years active duty in the U.S. Army. He served two tours in Iraq and a one in Afghanistan. So we’re excited about having him. It’s good to get local guys who are going to stay around for awhile.

Bradley also has an Associates degree in electrical systems from Athens Technical College.

Whitworth said the Post is still looking for one more trooper to fill his staff.

“We’re one short now. Trooper Sadler did a great job here, but he was promoted to Corporal and is at the Athens Post right now,” he said. “So that brings our staff to 13 and we’re actually allotted for 14. We do have a trooper school going on right now and we’re hoping to get one out of that and that will get us back to full staff.”

Whitworth said he hopes to have that 14th trooper start after the first of the year.