KLETC
Nineteen new law enforcement officers graduated from the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center on Aug. 19 at a ceremony held in the KLETC Integrity Auditorium.
Game Warden Kalaeb Bratton of the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks was the graduating class president. The speaker for the ceremony was Chief Todd Akerman of the Augusta Department of Safety. Michael Satterlee, KLETC Senior Instructor of Police, was the Class Coordinator for the 297th Basic Training Class.
Game Warden Bratton of the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks was placed on the Director’s Honor Roll. He was additionally awarded the Larry Welch Academic Award for having the highest total average on the written exams within the class. His final average was 95.70% Officer Mitchell Mays of the Hutchinson Police Department was recognized during the ceremony for his firearms proficiency as the class’ “Top Shot."
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 the University of Kansas Lifelong & Professional Education.
The graduates, who began their training in May 2022, represented multiple municipal, county, and state law enforcement agencies from across Kansas. Area graduates are listed below by county and agency:
Barton
Derrick Brown - Ellinwood Police Department
Ellis
Brevin LaBarge - Hays Police Department