KLETC graduates 20 new officers; longtime leader honored ahead of retirement
HUTCHINSON — Anticipation filled Integrity Hall at the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center on May 1 as friends and family gathered to support 20 students completing 14 weeks of training in preparation for careers in law enforcement.
During the ceremony, graduates took the oath of office, marking the transition from students to sworn officers ready to serve communities across Kansas.
Police Instructor Senior James Buettgenbach introduced the class. Blake Flanders, president and CEO of the Kansas Board of Regents, delivered the commencement address, emphasizing the importance of service and gratitude.
“Your role matters, and your contribution matters,” Flanders said. “This accomplishment belongs to you. I hope you will take time to thank those who supported you. No one reaches a moment like this alone, and gratitude is an important part of leadership and service.”
Class President Officer Devin Sun of the Ellis Police Department also addressed his fellow graduates.
“Class 356, we may have reached the finish line, but the real challenge starts after today,” Sun said. “We came here unaware of the world we were stepping into, but today we leave with a solid foundation of knowledge, discipline and purpose.”
The ceremony also marked one of the final graduations for Alvin Sowers, associate director, who is retiring after 26 years with KLETC. His final official day is May 8. Darin Beck, vice provost and director of police training, invited Sowers’ son, Rice County Sheriff Nicholas Sowers, to the stage to present a plaque recognizing his father’s service. Sowers concluded his tenure just 10 graduations shy of 200 during his time at the center.
The Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center, a division of the University of Kansas since 1968, serves as the state’s central training agency for law enforcement officers.
Under the authority of 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 356th basic training class. Note awards for some students:
Butler County
- Anjelica Lopez-Hern, El Dorado Police Department
Dickinson County
- Joseph Frey, Herington Police Department
- Austin Smith, Dickinson County Sheriff's Office
- Konnor Weber, Abilene Police Department
Douglas County
- Ian Emerson, University of Kansas Police Department
Ellis County
- Devin Sun, Ellis Police Department (class president)
Ellsworth County
- Kirsten Meier, Ellsworth County Sheriff's Office
- Brady Ulery, Ellsworth Police Department
Ford County
- Josue Vargas, Dodge City Police Department
Harper County
- Stefan Weisheit, Anthony Police Department (Fitness award)
Phillips County
- Darren Delimont, Phillips County Sheriff's Office
Reno County
- RyLee Patton, Hutchinson Police Department
Russell County
- Isaac Cherry, Russell Police Department (Fitness award)
Sedgwick County
- Clayton Batman, Derby Police Department (Fitness award)
- Noah Maskrid, Park City Police Department
Shawnee County
- Caleb Beals, Shawnee County Sheriff's Office
Sherman County
- Raymond Montano, Sherman County Sheriff's Office
- Tamara Richardson, Sherman County Sheriff's Office
Wyandotte County
- Teran Anderson, Wyandotte County Sheriff's Office
- Jennifer Ybarra, Wyandotte County Sheriff's Office.
