Gregory F. Bennerson, son of V.I. Sen. Greg Bennerson and Lynell Fergus-Amory of Houston, Texas, has been accepted as a cadet at the University of Houston-Downtown Police academy.
Young Bennerson is a former member of the Virgin Islands Law Enforcement Explorers-Police Pre-Cadets. He is also the grandson of the late U.S. Virgin Islands Sen."Big Jim" Bennerson.
UH's Downtown Police academy has one of the highest ratings in Texas. It rivals the Houston Police Academy. Under Texas Law, colleges are permitted to train police officers. Upon completion of a six-month course, the officers must complete the state board examinations to become licensed as a Texas Peace Officer. Bennerson will also receive 35 college credits upon graduating in April. He will be a full commissioned Texas Peace Officer upon graduation. His plans are to pursue a degree in Criminal Justice.
Bennerson presently works for Corrections Services Corporation in Houston. He is a Sergeant with their Intermediate Sanctions (jail) facility, where parole violators are sent before being released. At age 20, Bennerson supervises a prison with more inmates than at St. Croix's Golden Grove Correctional Facility.
At any given moment, he can become a victim of jailhouse violence. But he feels that the training he received as a Virgin Islands police Pre-Cadet has more than prepared him for this task. He gives thanks to Sgt. Raymond Matthews, Euique Santos, and the other instructors of the Virgin Islands Police Pre-Cadets program. They have been very instrumental in the career advancements that he has made.
Bennerson will join two other Virgin Islands Police Pre Cadets graduates who have become Texas Peace Officers in the Houston area, including Sidney Garvey of Williams Delight and Celvin "C.G." Walwyn. Both Walwyn and Garvey are members of the Harris County Sheriff Department in Houston.
Garvey, who has extensive investigation experience in working for both the Organized Crime Unit and Internal Affairs Division, is now a member of the Identification Unit.
Walwyn, a Caribbean gangs specialist, has served as an instructor and now works with the elite hospital security squad. He has also been Officer of The Year twice in the last 10 years. He is also the Democratic Candidate for Wharton County Sheriff in November. If Walwyn wins, he will be the first Black sheriff in the Southern and Southeastern half of Texas.
Like Bennerson, both men credit their leadership training they received as Virgin Islands Police pre Cadets and Mrs. Vivian H. Bennerson for her encouragements during the 1970’s.
To contact Bennerson, send email to gbennersonjr@hotmail.com .
