KLETC
YODER — Twenty-three new law enforcement officers, including a Hays Police Department officer, graduated from the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center on April 9 at a ceremony held in KLETC’s Integrity Auditorium.
Darin Beck, KLETC executive director, and Robert Lee, chief of police for the Derby Police Department. Officer Jason Boyd of the Conway Springs Police Department was the graduating class president. The speaker for the ceremony was the chief of police for the Derby Police Department, Robert Lee. Troy Livingston, KLETC senior instructor of police, was the class coordinator for the 276th Basic Training Class.
Officer Eric Moore of the Ottawa Police Department was the recipient of the Welsh Academic Award of Excellence, an award given to the student with the highest academic score in their class at 94% average or higher. Moore graduated with an average of 96%. Deputy Cameron Beakley of the Rice County Sheriff’s Office was also 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 December 2020, represented 19 municipal, county and state law enforcement agencies from across Kansas. Graduates are listed below by county and agency:
Butler
• Ryan Smith, El Dorado Police Department
• Gabriel Higgins, El Dorado Police Department
Chautauqua
• Trenton Ringle, Sedan Police Department
Ellis
• Julie Craven, Hays Police Department
Finney
• Isaiah Anderson, Garden City Police Department
Franklin
• Eric Moore, Ottawa Police Department
• Jacob Richards, Ottawa Police Department
Geary
• Brian Pryor, Geary County Sheriff’s Office
Greeley
• Jesse Cagle, Greeley County Sheriff’s Office
Harper
• Chad Thompson, Anthony Police Department
Leavenworth
• Isaac Nickel, Leavenworth County Sheriff’s Office
Meade
• Amy Pippitt, Meade County Sheriff’s Office
Pratt
• Ryan Childress, Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks, & Tourism
Rice
• Cameron Beakley, Rice County Sheriff’s Office
Riley
• Colby Bryan, Kansas State University Police Department
• Marcos Medina, Kansas State University Police Department
Saline
• Kevin Cecil, Saline County Sheriff’s Office
Sedgwick
• Christopher Hebberd, Derby Police Department
• Jordynn Corbett, Haysville Police Department
• Tracy Roniger, Haysville Police Department
Smith
• Travis Conaway, Smith County Sheriff’s Office
Sumner
• Jason Boyd, Conway Springs Police Department
• Jalen Chance, Wellington Police Departmen