Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center Graduates 267th Basic Training Class

Twenty-One new law enforcement officers graduated from the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center (KLETC) on August 28th at a ceremony held in KLETC’s Integrity Auditorium.

Tyler Stephenson of the Baldwin City Police Department was the graduating class president. Rob McClarty, KLETC Instructor of Police and Class Coordinator for the 267th Basic Training Class, was the speaker for the ceremony.

Class president Stephenson was named to the Director’s Honor Roll and was also the recipient of the Welch Academic Award. Deputy Chandler Ford from the Mead County Sheriff’s Office and Logan Higbee from the Beloit Police Department were acknowledged for having shot 100% on their firearms qualification, with Officer Higbee being recognized as the class “Top Shot”.

McClarty also singled out students Logan Higbee, Levi Chermak, Austin Sievert, Tyler Stephenson, Shawn Hyde, Tanner Houck, Blake Stromgren and Chandler Ford for assisting a motorist who’s car had flipped. The students were en route to Cheney on their downtime when they noticed the overturned vehicle. They worked together to ensure that not only was the motorist safe, but that the area was safe as well. The students tended to the motorist and controlled traffic until the Reno County EMS, Pretty Prairie Fire Department, and Kansas Highway Patrol arrived on the scene. 

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 University of Kansas Professional & Continuing Education.

The graduates, who began their training in February 2020, represented 15 municipal, county and state law enforcement agencies from across Kansas. Graduates who granted permission to release their names are listed below by county and agency:

Butler

• Madysn Mitchell - Butler Community College Department of Public Safety

Chase

• Eric Hidecker - Chase County Sheriff's Office

Crawford

• Logan Curran - Girard Police Department

Doniphan

• Dexter Holliday - Iowa Tribal Police Department

Douglas

• Vanessa Schmalz - Baldwin City Police Department
• Tyler Stephenson - Baldwin City Police Department

Greeley

• Tylor Preeo - Greeley County Sheriff's Office

Johnson

• Shawn Hyde - Kansas City Public Schools Police Department

Leavenworth

• Nancy Martinez - Leavenworth Police Department
• Brittany Swanbeck - Leavenworth Police Department

Lyon

• Xochitl Arzate - Emporia State University Police Department

Meade

• Chandler Ford - Meade County Sheriff's Office

Mitchell

• Logan Higbee - Beloit Police Department

Pratt

• Colbe Austin - Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks, & Tourism
• Levi Chermak - Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks, & Tourism
• Tanner Houck - Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks, & Tourism
• Austin Sievert - Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks, & Tourism
• Blake Stromgren - Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks, & Tourism

Rooks

• Randall Benoit - Rooks County Sheriff's Office

Russell

• Chase Newacheck - Russell County Sheriff's Office

Sumner

• Darrell Moody - Belle Plaine Police Department