YODER — Twenty-four new law enforcement officers graduated from the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center (KLETC) on June 4. Deputy Lauren Tucker of the Rooks County Sheriff’s Office was the graduating class president. The ceremony was held in KLETC’s Integrity Auditorium.

Area graduates include Paige Elizabeth Clenny and Scott McAdoo, both with Russell Police Department.

The new officers were members of the 264th basic training class. The graduates, who began their training in December 2019, represented 20 municipal, county and state law enforcement agencies from across Kansas.

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 Professional & Continuing Education.

“We train our officers to serve their diverse communities with a commitment to upholding the law and the safety of all citizens with our long-standing focus on policing without bias,” said KLETC Executive Director Darin Beck. “I know the 264th basic training graduating class will uphold these principles and proudly protect and serve.”