The Dover Police Department is announcing the graduation of the Dover Municipal Police Academy. On Friday, March 14, 2025, the department hosted a graduation ceremony at the Dover Middle School Campus auditorium to celebrate the end of the 21-week training academy. Nineteen recruits from twelve Delaware police agencies successfully completed the training and graduated.
Speakers at the ceremony included Chief Deputy Attorney General Dan Logan, City of Dover Mayor Robin Christiansen, and City of Dover Police Chief Thomas Johnson Jr.
Several awards were also presented for outstanding performances by academy recruits:
Academic Achievement Award
The Academic Achievement Award is awarded to the recruit who continued to demonstrate a high level of academic proficiency throughout academy training. Based on a series of tests to prove their understanding of course content, the recruits all received a final academic GPA. While all of the recruits demonstrated tremendous work in the academic area, this recruit earned the highest average in the class.
The award was presented to Chase Morris of the South Bethany Police Department
Top Shot Award
The Top Shot Award is awarded to the recruit who demonstrated the highest level of marksmanship proficiency and firearms safety throughout a series of day and night firearms training and qualification courses.
The Top Shot award was presented to Adam Ur of the Dewey Beach Police Department
Physical Fitness Award
The Dover Police Academy Physical Fitness Award is awarded to the police recruit who demonstrated a high level of physical fitness, strength, and endurance throughout the academy. This recruits also continued to push themselves to a higher level throughout the 21 weeks of physical training.
The Physical Fitness Awards was presented to Isaiah Brown of the Lewes Police Department.
Francis T. Schneible Resiliency Award
The Francis T. Schneible Resiliency Award is given to the police recruit who showed the most resiliency during the academy. Francis Schneible began his law enforcement career with the Dover Police Department in 1968. Just one year into his tour, Schneible was shot by a shoplifting suspect who was armed with a shotgun. Schneible’s resiliency allowed him to continue to serve for four more years with Dover, later joining the Delaware State Police. Schneible unfortunately lost his life 24 years after the shooting due to difficulties stemming from his injuries he sustained.
The recipient of the Francis T. Schneible Award was Sean Holton of the Lewes Police Department
Corporal Thomas Hannon Top Recruit Award
The Corporal Thomas Hannon Top Recruit Award is given to the police recruit who displayed an outstanding effort and demonstrated quality leadership throughout the 19-week academy. This recruit always gave their best effort and went above and beyond to help their classmates throughout the challenges of the academy. Corporal Thomas Hannon began his law enforcement career with the New York City Police Department before joining the Dover Police Department in 2005. Corporal Thomas Hannon was also named the Top Municipal Recruit of his Delaware State Police 76th/64th Academy Class, which made it even more appropriate to name this award in his honor.
In 2012, Corporal Hannon suffered a leg injury during the arrest of a suspect and continued to suffer from complications as a result. On September 1st, 2017, Corporal Hannon lost his life as a result of medical complications stemming from the injury and subsequent surgeries.
The recipient of the Corporal Thomas Hannon Top Recruit Award was Lucas Hudson from the Lewes Police Department.
Graduating Recruits from the 2025 City of Dover Municipal Police Academy:
City of Dover Police Department
Joshua Heredia
Dagsboro Police Department
Dylan Allen
Delaware River and Bay Authority
Kyle McCorkle
Tamera Webster
Delaware State University Police
Asa Cross
Dewey Beach Police Department
Adam Ur
Laurel Police Department
Patrick Marvil
Austin Wilson
David Wyatt
Lewes Police Department
Isaiah Brown
Sean Holton
Lucas Hudson
Milford Police Department
Samuel Smith
Milton Police Department
Timothy Jones
Millsboro Police Department
Gerald Foreman
Alexandro Rodriguez
Seaford Police Department
Samuel Brumbley
Kani Kane
South Bethany Police Department
Chase Morris