Tracey D. Parker Jr. of Smithfield recently became one of Virginia State Police’s newest state troopers. 

Graduation took place Feb. 23, at State Police Headquarters in North Chesterfield.  Parker, 27, comes to State Police after serving two years with the Wise County Sheriff’s Office and three years with the Pennington Gap Police Department.  Parker has degrees in Criminal Justice from Bethel and Bluefield universities.

Parker, along with his fellow graduates, received classroom and field instruction in more than 100 different subjects, including de-escalation techniques, strategies to assist people in mental health crisis, ethics and leadership, fair and impartial policing, constitutional law, emergency medical trauma care, and public and community relations.

Parker began his classroom, practical, and physical training on Dec. 28, 2023.

His first duty assignment will be in Tazewell County. He will report to his duty assignment the week of March 18.