GHS grad named District 6 'Trooper of the Year'

"I always wanted a law enforcement career and when I saw how my brotherin law (Highway Patrol) Sgt. Steve Mueller treated people with fairness and compassion, I knew I wanted to be in the Highway Patrol." - TROOPER NICKLAUS SPROUSE

A South Carolina Highway Patrol Officer from the Gaffney region has been selected Trooper of the Year for District 6, Post C, which covers Beaufort and Jasper counties.

Trooper 1st Class Nicklaus Sprouse was honored at a Dec. 11 awards ceremony held by the post.

"I think it's an incredible achievement for my first full year (in the Highway Patrol) to be recognized for my work," he said.

A 2000 graduate of Gaffney High School and a graduate of Coastal Carolina University in Conway, Sprouse was second at his post in the number of DUI arrests last year and also recorded the highest number of traffic citations issued.

He also was recognized for several drug busts on the roadways that not only got drugs but also weapons off the streets.

On Nov. 11, the trooper discovered 68.9 grams of marijuana, 14.6 grams of cocaine, several Ecstasy pills and an AR-15 assault rifle with a full magazine and a round in the chamber during a traffic stop in Jasper County.

Just recently, Sprouse discovered a loaded .45 caliber handgun, marijuana, cocaine and crack cocaine in a car that was stopped at a checkpoint in Beaufort County.

Sprouse is certified as a breathalyzer operator and marijuana analyst and in crowd control. He also is a member of the Highway Patrol's Civil Emergency Response Team, which is the state's equivalent of SWAT.

"I always wanted a law enforcement career and when I saw how my brotherin law (Highway Patrol) Sgt. Steve Mueller treated people with fairness and compassion, I knew I wanted to be in the Highway Patrol," he said.

Sprouse said a future goal is to become a member of the Highway Patrol's ACE Drug Interdiction Team.