Release from Jason Levy, Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center
Twenty-nine new law enforcement officers, including three from Hutchinson, graduated from the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center (KLETC) on December 11th at a ceremony held in KLETC’s Integrity Auditorium.
Katie Russell, an officer of the Andover Police Department, was the graduating class president. The speaker for the ceremony was Cole Presley, Graham County Sheriff and President of the Kansas Sheriffs’ Association. Rob McClarty, KLETC Senior Instructor of Police, was the Class Coordinator for the 271st Basic Training Class.
Officer Rachel Grisham from the Salina Police Department was the recipient of both the Director’s Honor Roll and the Welch Academic Award.
Officer Tristan LaRocque from Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks, & Tourism was recognized for his firearms proficiency as the class’ “Top Shot”. Officer Antione Powell from Leavenworth Police Department walked, ran, or biked more than 215 miles during his time at KLETC and exceeded the other physical requirements of the 200 Mile Club including push-ups, sit-ups, and a timed 1.5 mile run. Officer Powell was honored as a member of the 200 Mile Club and for his efforts, he received the Fitness Award.
Graduates receive certificates of course completion from KLETC and Kansas law enforcement certification from the Kansas Commission on Peace Officers’ Standards and Training, the state’s law enforcement licensing authority. The training course fulfills the state requirement for law enforcement training. Classroom lectures and hands-on applications help train officers to solve the increasingly complex problems they face in the line of duty.
Established by the Kansas Legislature in 1968, KLETC trains the majority of municipal, county and state law enforcement officers in Kansas and oversees the training of the remaining officers at seven authorized and certified academy programs operated by local law enforcement agencies and the Kansas Highway Patrol.
About 300 officers enroll annually in KLETC 14-week basic training programs. KLETC offers continuing education and specialized training to over 10,000 Kansas officers each year. KLETC is located one mile west and one mile south of Yoder, near Hutchinson, and is a division of University of Kansas Lifelong & Professional Education.
The graduates, who began their training in August 2020, represented 20 municipal, county and state law enforcement agencies from across Kansas. Area graduates whose names were released include:
McPherson
• Blane Janssen - McPherson Police Department
Pratt
• Tristan La Rocque - Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks, & Tourism
• Christopher Orton - Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks, & Tourism
• Trenton Smith - Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks, & Tourism
Reno
• Logan Corley - Hutchinson Police Department
• Benjamin Smalling - Hutchinson Police Department
• Trevor Stoll - Hutchinson Police Department