Author: Kirsten Barber
When Trooper Colby Hall raised his hand and took his oath on Nov. 19, 2021, during the 154th Basic Highway Patrol School graduation, he had officially accomplished a goal he had made early in life.
Inspired by his grandfather, who was a deputy in Georgia, Hall always knew he wanted to pursue a career that helped people, particularly one in law enforcement. Starting in 2016, he began serving as a firefighter for Brogden Volunteer Fire Department, where he got to work with other public safety agencies, including the NC State Highway Patrol. Hall shared that the Patrol always stood out to him as a professional agency, a sentiment that he shares with many other members who chose to switch careers and sign up to join the Patrol.
However, Hall did not start his career with the Patrol in a uniform. In 2019, he joined the Troop C Communications Center in Raleigh serving in a non-sworn capacity.
“Working at the Communications Center, I got to interact with the Patrol and other agencies. It seemed like everyone I talked to was proud to be a part of this agency,” said Hall.
Hall received his Basic Law Enforcement Training (BLET) certification in June 2021 and started the transition from civilian to sworn member in the fall as part of the 154th Basic Patrol School. The 12 weeks of rigorous training cadets go through in this program prepares them mentally and physically for a career of service to the state of North Carolina. The program is notorious for being challenging, whether cadets are in the classroom, practicing skills to use in the field, or going through physical training. Hall said even though the school was tough, it is imperative that all cadets know the different aspects of being a state trooper. He did admit that his prior experience as a telecommunicator gave him an edge when certain subjects came up in the classroom.
Now as a sworn member of the Patrol, Hall looks forward to continuing to give back to the state and learning as he works to ensure the safety of the motoring public.
And he doesn’t forget where he came from.
“I am thankful for the men and women of communications. We could not do our jobs without them,” said Hall.