KLETC
YODER — Fifty-eight new law enforcement officers graduated from the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center (KLETC) on Jan. 26. Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center Director Ed Pavey was the speaker for the ceremony in KLETC’s Integrity Auditorium.
The new officers were members of the 248th 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 Oct. 2, 2017, represented 46 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 more than 10,000 Kansas officers each year.
Graduates who granted permission to release their names are listed below by agency.
Allen County
Iola Police Department; Dominick Haen; patrol officer; Iola
Barber County
Barber County Sheriff’s Department; Matthew Woods; deputy; Medicine Lodge
Barton County
Hoisington Police Department; Chelsey Hachmeister; patrol officer; Hoisington
Butler County
Benton Police Department; Britt Liggett; patrol officer; Benton
Butler County Sheriff’s Office; Caleb Nitcher; deputy; El Dorado
Cherokee County
Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office; Judah Ellis; deputy; Columbus
Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office; Taylor Ludwig; deputy; Columbus
Cheyenne County
Cheyenne County Sheriff’s Office; Gunner Helton; deputy; St. Francis
Crawford County
Pittsburg Police Department; Bailey Jones; patrol officer; Pittsburg
Pittsburg Police Department; Ashley Williamson; Patrol Officer; Pittsburg
Dickinson County
Dickinson County Sheriff’s Department; Vaun Stivers; deputy; Abilene
Doniphan County
Elwood Police Department; Alexander Campbell; patrol officer; Elwood
Doniphan County Sheriff’s Department; Nathaniel Keller; deputy; Troy
Doniphan County Sheriff’s Department; Daniel Rathmann; deputy; Troy
Ellis County
Hays Police Department; Brandon Bell; patrol officer; Hays
Hays Police Department; Naithan Elkins; patrol officer; Hays
Hays Police Department; Austin Savage; patrol officer; Hays
Ellsworth County
Ellsworth County Sheriff’s Department; James Sandell; deputy; Ellsworth
Ellsworth County Sheriff’s Department; Frederick Smith; deputy; Ellsworth
Geary County
Junction City Police Department; Brenda Agriesti; patrol officer; Junction City
Junction City Police Department; Amanda Mancuso; patrol officer; Junction City
Harvey County
Harvey County Sheriff’s Department; Austin Sontag; deputy; Newton
Jefferson County
Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office; Brady Adams; deputy; Oskaloosa
Leavenworth County
Leavenworth County Sheriff’s Office; Adam Turner; deputy; Leavenworth
Linn County
Pleasanton Police Department; Benjamin Smith; patrol officer; Pleasanton
Lyon County
Emporia State University Police Department; Hector Amado; patrol officer; Emporia
Miami County
Miami County Sheriff’s Office; Devon Dozier; deputy; Paola
Miami County Sheriff’s Office; Colin LaFrance; deputy; Paola
Paola Police Department; Zachary Mathies; patrol officer; Paola
Osawatomie Department of Public Safety; Jonathan Sliter; patrol officer; Osawatomie
Miami County Sheriff’s Office; Thomas Yeast; deputy; Paola
Mitchell County
Beloit Police Department; Jessy Bliss; patrol officer; Beloit
Montgomery County
Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office; Zachary Farmer; deputy; Independence
Coffeyville Police Department; Andrew Rexwinkle; patrol officer; Coffeyville
Neosho County
Chanute Police Department; Jon Deal; patrol officer; Chanute
Neosho County Sheriff’s Department; Jake Johnson; deputy; Erie
Osage County
Carbondale Police Department; Justin Kreshel; patrol officer; Carbondale
Pratt County
Pratt County Sheriff’s Department; Maranda Hacker; deputy; Pratt
Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks & Tourism; Matthew Sobczynski; natural resource officer; Pratt
Reno County
Hutchinson Police Department; Daniel Nowlan; patrol officer; Hutchinson
Hutchinson Police Department; Michael Ruebke; patrol officer; Hutchinson
Russell County
Russell County Sheriff’s Department; Tracey Kuntzsch; deputy, Russell
Saline County
Salina Police Department; Dustin Birdsong; patrol officer; Salina
Scott County
Scott County Sheriff’s Department; Jade Daniels; deputy; Scott City
Sedgwick County
Park City Police Department; Shane Alexander; patrol officer; Park City
Wichita State University Police Department; Patrick Bruce; patrol officer; Wichita
Derby Police Department; Erik Donham; patrol officer; Derby
Sedgwick County Courthouse Police; Humberto Estrada; patrol officer; Wichita
Andale Police Department; Robert McClelland; patrol officer; Andale
Wichita Airport Authority Safety Department; Christopher Soukup; patrol officer; Wichita
Shawnee County
Kansas Alcoholic Beverage Control Division; Jennifer Peck; special agent; Topeka
Sumner County
Conway Springs Police Department; Briar Hedgepath-Shaffer; patrol officer; Conway Springs
Wilson County
Fredonia Police Department; Greg Boicourt; patrol officer; Fredonia
Woodson County
Woodson County Sheriff’s Office; Scott Hockman; deputy; Yates Center.