HUTCHINSON — Nineteen new law enforcement officers graduated from the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center (KLETC) on Feb. 25 in a ceremony held at the KLETC Integrity Auditorium.
Deputy David Carrillo of the Seward County Sheriff’s Office was the promotion chairman. The speaker for the ceremony was Doug Schroeder, executive director of the Kansas Commission on Standards and Training for Peace Officers. KLETC Police Senior Instructor Rob McClarty was the class coordinator for the 289th Basic Training Class.
Deputy Shane Coleman of the Geary County Sheriff’s Office earned the Principal’s Honor Roll and received the Welch Academic Award for Academic Excellence. Officers Nicholas Martinez of the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office and Christian Rivas of the Great Bend Police Department were both inducted into the KLETC 200 Mile Club. Rivas also received the Fitness Medal for having the best overall improvement in push-ups, sit-ups and the 1.5-mile run, as well as running the most miles of the two officers. Martinez was recognized at the ceremony for his firearms proficiency in the “Top Shot” class.
Graduates receive certificates of course completion from KLETC and Kansas law enforcement certification from the Kansas Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training, the licensing authority of Kansas. state law enforcement. The training course fulfills the state requirement for law enforcement training. Classroom lectures and practical 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 KLETC trains the majority of Kansas municipal, county, and state law enforcement officers and oversees the training of the remaining officers through seven law enforcement programs. Licensed and certified academies run by local law enforcement agencies and the Kansas Highway Patrol. .
About 300 officers enroll in KLETC’s 14-week basic training programs each year. KLETC provides continuing education and specialized training to more than 10,000 Kansas agents 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 training in November 2021, represented multiple municipal, county and state law enforcement agencies throughout Kansas.
Local graduates are Christian Rivas and Eric Jones of the Great Bend Police Department; and Adam Jones, Russell Police Department.
