Friday’s graduating class. From left: Officers Edgard Amaro Carrion and Nick Podgorny; UTPD Chief Troy Lane; Officers Alexa Stephenson and Ethan Long.

Two UTPD officers graduated with top honors from the police academy last week.

Officer Alexa Stephenson was elected by her peers as class president of the Blount County Sheriff’s Office Basic Law Enforcement Training Academy graduating class. She is the first-ever female president the academy has ever had.

Officer Ethan Long received the William D. Nuchols Award for Law Enforcement Excellence, one of the highest honors given in the graduating class. The top cop award is given to the recruit who displays overall leadership qualities, as well as overall achievement.

Stephenson and Long graduated with two other UTPD colleagues—Officer Edgard Amaro Carrion and Officer Nick Podgorny.

Amaro Carrion sang the National Anthem to open Friday’s ceremony.

Stephenson, Long, Amaro Carrion and Podgorny were part of the class of 22 officers from across Tennessee who graduated from the academy on Friday.