Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center announces October graduates

YODER – Forty-four new law enforcement officers were congratulated by Eric K. Jackson, the special agent in charge of the FBI’s Kansas City Field Office, during their graduation from the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center (KLETC) on Oct. 23.

The new officers were members of the 236th 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 Continuing Education.

The graduates, who began their training July 20, 2015, represented 36 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 the 14-week basic training program. The center offered continuing education and specialized training to as many as 5,600 Kansas officers each year. Funding for the training center is generated from court docket fees from municipal and state courts. No funds from the state’s general revenue are used to operate the center.

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

Atchison

Atchison Police Department; Jordan Noll; patrol officer; Atchison

Barton County

Great Bend Police Department; Ryan Taylor; patrol officer; Great Bend

Butler County

El Dorado Police Department; Joshua Clemons; patrol officer; El Dorado

El Dorado Police Department; Emmitt Lechner; patrol officer; El Dorado

Chautauqua County

Chautauqua County Sheriff's Office; James Osburn; deputy; Sedan

Cherokee County

Galena Police Department; Jefferey Daugherty; patrol officer; Galena

Cherokee County Sheriff's Office; Robert Martin; deputy; Columbus

Ellis County

Hays Police Department; Dakota Reese; patrol officer; Hays

Hays Police Department; Mackenzie Smith; patrol officer; Hays

Finney County

Finney County Sheriff's Office; Jared Mindrup; deputy; Garden City

Finney County Sheriff's Office; Travis Zimmerman; deputy; Garden City

Ford County

Ford County Sheriff's Office; Genaro Batres; deputy; Dodge City

Ford County Sheriff's Office; David Thomas; deputy; Dodge City

Franklin County

Ottawa Police Department; Tracie Weege; patrol officer; Ottawa

Geary County

Geary County Sheriff's Office; James Regalado; deputy; Junction City

Harvey County

Newton Police Department; Lissette LaFex; patrol officer; Newton

Johnson County

Spring Hill Police Department; Travis Sisson; patrol officer; Spring Hill

Kiowa County

Kiowa County Sheriff's Office; Jedediah Tabor; deputy; Greensburg

Kiowa County Sheriff's Office; William Tripoli; deputy; Greensburg

Leavenworth County

Leavenworth County Sheriff's Office; Daniel Collins; deputy; Leavenworth

Lincoln County

Lincoln County Sheriff's Office; Clinton Bailey; deputy; Lincoln

Lyon County

Emporia State University Police Department; Richard Bechtel; patrol officer; Emporia

Miami County

Miami County Sheriff's Office; Colt Chase; deputy; Paola

Paola Police Department; Luke Hornbacher; patrol officer; Paola

Osage County

Overbrook Police Department; Russell Mitchell; patrol officer; Overbrook

Osborne Police Department; Jon Eickenberg; patrol officer; Osborne

Ottawa County

Minneapolis Police Department; John Johnson; patrol officer; Minneapolis

Reno County

Hutchinson Police Department; Raven Boettger; patrol officer; Hutchinson

Hutchinson Police Department; Lyndsay Gomez; patrol officer; Hutchinson

Reno County Sheriff's Office; John Hendricks; patrol officer; Hutchinson

South Hutchinson Police Department; Elise Tracy; patrol officer; South Hutchinson

Rooks County

Plainville Police Department; Cody Deutscher; patrol officer; Plainville

Scott County

Scott City Police Department; Michael McEachern; patrol officer; Scott City

Sedgwick County

Wichita State University Police Department; Marcella Terrones; patrol officer; Wichita

Seward County

Liberal Police Department; Tyler Lai; patrol officer; Liberal

Seward County Sheriff's Department; John Steckel; deputy; Liberal

Stafford County

St. John Police Department; Christopher Story; patrol officer; St. John

Wabaunsee County

Wabaunsee County Police Department; Brandon Buchanan; deputy; Alma

Wichita County

Wichita County Sheriff's Office; Ali Mendoza; deputy; Leoti

Wyandotte County

Edwardsville Police Department; Michael Hart; patrol officer; Edwardsville

Wyandotte County Sheriff's Office; Jorge Lamas; deputy.