YODER — Twenty-three new law enforcement officers graduated from the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center (KLETC) on March 19 at a ceremony held in KLETC’s Integrity Auditorium. Local graduate was Levi Hallman from the Great Bend Police Department.
Deputy Eli Miller of the Pottawatomie County Sheriff’s Office was the graduating class president. The speaker for the ceremony was U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan. Michael Turenne, KLETC senior instructor of police, was the class coordinator for the 275th Basic Training Class.
Officer Logan Grant of the Galena Police Department was recognized by KLETC Executive Director Darin Beck and awarded a KLETC Certificate of Commendation for his actions in the performance of his duties. Grant, along with Officer Samantha Snell of the Galena Police Department, risked their lives Jan. 18 in an attempt to save victims of a fiery two-vehicle head-on crash.
Officer Jarrod Rosenstock of the Garden City Police Department walked, ran or biked more than 200 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 run. He received the Fitness Award. Deputy Fredrick Mata of the Haskell County Sheriff’s Office was also recognized during the ceremony for his firearms proficiency as the class “Top Shot.”
Moran addressed the graduating students and spoke of their courage.
“Life is full of risks, and those who are willing to take those risks are the ones we should honor and esteem,” he said. “That’s what we are doing here today.”
Beck said he appreciated Moran taking his time to speak to the 275th basic training class.
“KLETC is grateful for Senator Moran’s support for Kansas law enforcement,” Beck said.
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 the University of Kansas Lifelong & Professional Education.
The graduates, who began their training in November 2020, represented 19 municipal, county and state law enforcement agencies from across Kansas.
