Tuesday the Orange County Commissioners Court recognized the two newest Texas State Troopers to be stationed in Orange County. After a seven month Boot Camp, Kolbie Sowell (right) and Christian Quebedeaux graduated on March 20 in Austin with the 180th class of the DPS Academy. They will start on April 12th. Both young men grew up in Orange County with Sowell graduating from Orangefield and Quebedeaux from Vidor.
There were 1,685 applicants and 136 started the training in August 2025. There were 122 that completed it. The 30-week program involved over 1,204 hours of instruction covering traffic law, criminal investigation, crisis intervention, and field exercises. There were 99 men and 23 women in the graduating class, with ages ranging from 21 to 51. Thirty-three graduates are military veterans, and more than half speak multiple languages.
Houston Police Chief J. Noe Diaz, a former DPS trooper delivered the keynote address. He said, “I’ve walked the road you’re about to take. The miles will be long, but the honor of serving Texas will make every one of them worth it.”
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