By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Alec Roberts graduates from Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center
new_vlc_KLETC logo for new le offcers.jpg

HUTCHINSON — Twenty-four new law enforcement officers graduated from the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center (KLETC) on June 10 at a ceremony held in the KLETC Integrity Auditorium.

Alec Roberts, Barton County Sheriff’s Office, was among the graduates.

 Officer Dustin Hiebsch of the Pittsburg Police Department was the graduating class president. The speaker for the ceremony was Capt. Guy Schroeder of the Wichita University Police Department. Troy Livingston, KLETC senior instructor of police, was the class coordinator for the 294th Basic Training Class.

Deputy Christine Settanni of the Wabaunsee County Sheriff’s Office and Officer Katelyn Morris of the St. George Police Department achieved the Director’s Honor Role by achieving a total average on the written examinations of 94% or higher. Settanni had the highest overall academic score with 94.52% and was awarded the Larry Welch Award of Academic Excellence.

Officer Braden Taylor of the Wichita University Police Department was recognized during the ceremony for his firearms proficiency as the class “Top Shot.”

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 KU Lifelong & Professional Education.

The graduates, who began their training in March 2022, represented multiple municipal, county and state law enforcement agencies from across Kansas.