From students to officers: KLETC graduation honors lifesaving response on I-35

HUTCHINSON — Graduation is a milestone at the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center as students complete 14 weeks of training and take the oath to serve as law enforcement officers across Kansas.

Family and friends filled the auditorium April 10 to watch members of the 355th graduating class mark their transition from students to sworn law enforcement officers.

Police Instructor Senior Josh Long introduced the class during the ceremony. Darin Beck, vice provost and director of police training, presented Director’s Awards to two members of the Overland Park Police Department, Robert Cree and Luis Adame, recognizing their actions during a serious crash on I-35 on March 20 while they were still in training at KLETC.

The officers were traveling home for the weekend and outside their jurisdiction when they came upon a single-vehicle collision in which three individuals were ejected.

Cree identified a victim suffering from a compound fracture to the right femur and severe bleeding. Using a tourniquet issued during his training in Tactical Combat Casualty Care, he was able to stop the bleeding and help save the individual’s life.

Adame located a second ejected victim who had multiple injuries, including a head injury. Drawing on his training, he stabilized the individual and prevented bystanders from moving the victim, reducing the risk of further injury.

A third officer, Nolan Shockley of the Lansing Police Department, who is part of the 358th graduating class at the academy, was traveling with the two and assisted the third victim. He helped stabilize the individual and remained on scene until EMS arrived for transport.

U.S. Rep. Derek Schmidt addressed the graduates, emphasizing the importance of support from families, colleagues and the broader law enforcement community.

“I want to thank all of you for supporting your officers, whether it's one of these on stage just starting out, or whether it's somebody sitting here today, or whether it's somebody who's retired back at home and whose service has passed. It is not a flying solo endeavor. It's a family endeavor. It is special, and it really matters a lot to the officers who are graduating today,” Schmidt said.

Class President Sgt. Juan Acevedo of the Wyandotte County Sheriff’s Office also spoke during the ceremony.

“We are no longer recruits of the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center. We are Kansas law enforcement officers. Congratulations, Class 355. Let’s go enforce the standard. Let’s go enforce the law, and let’s go serve Kansas with strength, discipline and honor,” Acevedo said.

The Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center has been a division of the University of Kansas since 1968 and serves as the state’s central training agency for law enforcement officers.

Under the authority of Vice Provost and Director of Police Training Darin Beck, graduates received certificates attesting to the satisfactory completion of a full-time basic course of instruction, and certification as Kansas law enforcement officers from the Kansas Commission on Peace Officers’ Standards and Training, the state’s Law enforcement licensing authority.

The following are the graduates of the 355th basic training class:

Awards in italics

• Juan Acevedo, Wyandotte County Sheriff's Office, Wyandotte County: Class President
• Luis Adame, Overland Park Police Department, Johnson County: Director's Award
• Morgan Balthazor, Salina Police Department, Saline County
• Blaze Batterton, Stanton County Sheriff's Office, Stanton County
• Shane Beatty, Dodge City Police Department, Ford County
• Karen Briseno, Mulvane Police Department, Sedgwick County
• Robert Cree, Overland Park Police Department, Johnson County: Director's Award
• Makayla Devlin-Kimbrough, Overland Park Police Department, Johnson County
• Lane Hunter, Miami County Sheriff's Office, Miami County
• Kayla Johnston, Pittsburg Police Department, Crawford County
• Isaac Juarez, Liberal Police Department, Seward County: Fitness
• Jonathan Maples, Galena Police Department, Cherokee County
• Caleb McEntire, Shawnee County Sheriff's Office, Shawnee County
• Dustin McGinnis, Overland Park Police Department, Johnson County
• Andrew Rakes, Haysville Police Department, Sedgwick County
• Matthew Roberts, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, Pratt County
• Lexi Scheibler, Butler County Sheriff's Office, Butler County
• Christian Scheidt, Grandview Plaza Police Department, Geary County
• Aden Shute, Shawnee County Sheriff's Office, Shawnee County
• Banning Stuckey, Overland Park Police Department, Johnson County: Fitness
• Kyle Ziegler, Harvey County Sheriff's Office, Harvey County.