KLETC News
The Executive Director's Message
Executive Director's Message for October, 2018
It is just about four months since I was appointed to succeed longtime director of KLETC Ed Pavey when he retired. Every day I am thankful to him for the staff, facilities and resources he left. Politicians like to talk about “inheriting a mess” when they take office. For me, it was just the opposite: I inherited an opportunity.
We have been busy developing a strategic plan to take us into the next five years. While it is not yet completed, I wanted to give you a peek at some of the initiatives that are developing. Infrastructure continues to develop. The KLETC IT staff is working hard to make technology available in every classroom that supports the innovative teaching techniques that our basic training instructors will be using. The innovative instruction will include a focus on mentoring young officers.
Credit classes and degree programs will be offered on KU’s “Yoder Campus” (i.e. KLETC) in the not so distant future. This initiative will support a total career model for law enforcement as will a series of training certificate models. Of course, none of this can happen without maintaining the infrastructure.
The bottom line is that there will be a great deal of change in the next few years, but we will strive to maintain at least the same quality of programs that you have come to expect.
Thank you to everyone who has made and continues to make KLETC a success. I continue to be honored to have been selected to serve as your Director of Police Training.
Announcements & News
The KLETC Yoder Campus Is Now Tobacco Free
Smoking, including the use of electronic cigarettes or any future product that simulates or approximates tobacco use or smoking, and tobacco use will not be permitted on the KLETC Yoder campus, KU Lawrence or Edwards campuses, or all other University of Kansas sites reporting to the Lawrence campus.
The University of Kansas, of which KLETC is a reporting Unit, is strongly committed to supporting individuals to become tobacco free to encourage a respectful, healthier, and more productive learning/living environment for all members of our campus community. KU has announced that assistance for faculty and staff to overcome tobacco or nicotine use or addiction is being made available through the State of Kansas Employee Health Plan’s Tobacco Cessation Program to those eligible for that program. Assistance to anyone who wants to quit tobaccos use is available through the KanQuit program at http://www.kanquit.org/
The success of the new Tobacco Free policy relies on the thoughtfulness, consideration, and cooperation of each individual that works on, attends classes or visits the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center campus. This policy will not be applicable to tobacco use in personal vehicles.
Firearms Safety Notice
On August 17, 2018, the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center issued a temporary prohibition on the use of the Sig Sauer P320, striker-fired handguns during basic training. Since that time, we have been in close contact with Sig Sauer and they have represented to us that with the Sig Sauer modifications to the Sig Sauer P320, there is no longer a danger of an accidental discharge if dropped.
Any officer attending basic training at KLETC may now use the Sig Sauer P320 if it has received the modifications as required in the Sig Sauer recall. Each weapon will be examined by our KLETC armorers prior to use to ensure the modifications have been made.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact T.K. Bridges, KLETC Range Master, at 620-694-1593 or at tbridges@kletc.org.
\
