The Shadow
NORTH CHESTERFIELD, Va. (VR) – Residents of Alleghany, Bedford, Botetourt and Roanoke were among the 48 Virginia State Police Troopers who graduated from the 142nd Basic Session on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, at the VSP Academy in North Chesterfield, Va. During the 142nd Basic Session’s 30 weeks at the VSP Academy, trooper-trainees received instruction in more than 100 different subjects over the course of hundreds of hours. Academy training includes areas such as crime scene investigation, judicial procedures, self-defense, cultural diversity, and firearms.
Trooper Travis Fridley, 22, of Alleghany, Va., will have a first duty assignment in Highland County. Fridley has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Virginia Military Institute.
Trooper Todd Trumble, 60, of Goode, Va., will have a first duty assignment in Bedford County. Trumble previously served in the United States Navy and the United States Air Force and has multiple master’s degrees from Westminster Theological Seminary and Liberty University.
Trooper Odair Castaneda, 43, of Forest, Va., will have a first duty assignment in Bedford County. Castaneda previously served in the Bedford Police Department. Castaneda has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Dallas Baptist University and master’s degree in criminal justice from Liberty University.
Trooper Austin Tosh, 28, of Bedford, Va., will have a first duty assignment in Amherst County. Tosh previously served in the Amherst County Sheriff’s Department and the Altavista Police Department. Tosh has a degree in administration of justice from Central Virginia Community College.
Trooper Jerrod Worden, 34, of Troutville, Va., will have a first duty assignment of Franklin County.
Trooper Alex Brown, 25, of Roanoke, Va., will have a first duty assignment of Halifax County. Brown has a degree in business administration from Virginia Western Community College.
New troopers will report to their duty assignments on either Feb. 18, 2025, or March 3, 2025. For their final phase of training, each Trooper will spend an additional six weeks paired with a Field Training Officer learning his or her new patrol area.
As the need for highly-skilled and capable law enforcement officers increases, the Department continues to seek qualified applicants for the position of trooper. All interested applicants are encouraged to contact the Virginia State Police Recruitment Office at www.vatrooper.com.
