KLETC Announces 253rd Law Enforcement Training Graduating Class


Sixty new law enforcement officers graduated from the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center (KLETC) on Dec. 21.

top of police car with blue lights flashing

YODER (Jan. 4, 2019) – Sixty new law enforcement officers graduated from the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center (KLETC) on Dec. 21. McPherson Police Chief Robert McClarty was the speaker for the ceremony in KLETC’s Integrity Auditorium.

The new officers were members of the 253rd basic training class at the center. Located one mile west and one mile south of Yoder, near Hutchinson, the center is a division of University of Kansas Professional & Continuing Education.

The graduates, who began their training Sept. 10, 2018, represented 45 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, the center 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. The center offers continuing education and specialized training to over 10,000 Kansas officers each year.

Graduates who granted permission to release their names are listed below by agency.

Barton County

Great Bend Police Department; Jason Blundell; patrol officer; Great Bend

Barton County Sheriff’s Office; Alexandria Mason; deputy; Great Bend

Bourbon County

Bourbon County Sheriff’s Department; Jeffery Keller; patrol officer; Fort Scott

Fort Scott Police Department; Cody McGehee; patrol officer; Fort Scott

Fort Scott Police Department; David Mohler; patrol officer; Fort Scott

Cheyenne County

St. Francis Police Department; Jonathan Butler; patrol officer; St. Francis

Douglas County

University of Kansas Police Department; Bryce Ridgway; patrol officer; Lawrence

Ford County

Dodge City Police Department; Jalbert Cuevas Sotelo; patrol officer; Dodge City

Dodge City Police Department; Diego Mendoza; patrol officer; Dodge City

Franklin County

Franklin County Sheriff’s Office; Aaron Miller; deputy; Ottawa

Geary County

Geary County Sheriff’s Department; Ali Sanchez Huizar; deputy; Junction City

Harvey County

Newton Police Department; Joshua Smith; deputy; Syracuse

Jackson County

Jackson County Sheriff’s Office; Lane Slocum; deputy; Holton

Johnson County

Johnson County Sheriff’s Office; Nathan Anderson; deputy; Olathe

Johnson County Sheriff’s Office; Prabhjot Girn; deputy; Olathe

Johnson County Sheriff’s Office; Emma Shelton; deputy; Olathe

Johnson County Sheriff’s Office; Antoine Smith; deputy; Olathe

Johnson County Sheriff’s Office; Claire Susz; deputy; Olathe

Johnson County Sheriff’s Office; Joshua Vanderpool; deputy; Olathe

Linn County

Pleasanton Police Department; Angela Mitchell; patrol officer; Pleasanton

Lyon County

Emporia Police Department; Andrew Keazer; patrol officer; Emporia

Meade County

Meade County Sheriff’s Department; Adrian Cruz; deputy; Meade

Miami County

Louisburg Police Department; Robert Lake; patrol officer; Louisburg

Neosho County
Chanute Police Department; Ryan Haynes; patrol officer; Chanute

Norton County
Norton Police Department; Jacob Stenka; patrol officer; Norton

Osage County

Osage City Police Department; Adam Cronk; patrol officer; Osage City

Overbrook Police Department; Dena Manning; patrol officer; Overbrook

Pawnee County

Pawnee County Sheriff’s Department; Kristi Oak; deputy; Larned

Phillips County

Phillips County Sheriff’s Department; Layton Dougherty; Phillipsburg

Pottawatomie County

St. George Police Department; Lisa Davis; patrol officer; St. George

Pratt County

Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism; Sean Coleman; Natural Resource Officer; Pratt

Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism; Grant Duncan; Natural Resource Officer; Pratt

Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism; Vance Frick; Natural Resource Officer; Pratt

Reno County

Hutchinson Police Department; Zachary Coman; patrol officer; Hutchinson

Rice County

Lyons Police Department; Angela Tobisch; patrol officer; Lyons

Riley County

Riley County Police Department; Keith Backensto; patrol officer; Manhattan

Riley County Police Department; John Paul; patrol officer; Manhattan

Rooks County

Plainville Police Department; Paul Potocnik; patrol officer; Plainville

Saline County

Salina Police Department; Keenan Breen; patrol officer; Salina

Salina Police Department; James Countryman; patrol officer; Salina

Salina Police Department; Mathew Newton; patrol officer; Salina

Saline County Sheriff’s Office; Derek Weis; deputy; Salina

Sedgwick County

Derby Police Department; Nicholas Reynolds; patrol officer; Derby

Valley Center Police Department; John Schoen; patrol officer; Valley Center

Wichita State University Police Department; Michael Shafto; patrol officer; Wichita

Park City Police Department; Jordan Whitfield; patrol officer; Park City

Seward County

Liberal Police Department; Jacob Espinoza; patrol officer; Liberal

Liberal Police Department; Levi Seacat; patrol officer; Liberal

Liberal Police Department; Justin Williams; patrol officer; Liberal

Seward County Sheriff’s Department Wyatt Sharp; deputy; Liberal

Shawnee County

Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office; Bryce Golightley; deputy; Topeka

Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office; Jeffrey Lyda; deputy; Topeka

Sheridan County

Sheridan County Sheriff’s Department; William Cousins; deputy; Hoxie

Hoxie Police Department; Chase Eggert; patrol officer; Hoxie

Thomas County

Thomas County Sheriff’s Office; Joel Estrada; deputy; Colby

Wyandotte County

University of Kansas Medical Center Police Department; Jacob Wilson; patrol officer; Kansas City

Learn more about the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center

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