39 new law enforcement officers, including 4 Village Public Safety Officers, and 16 Alaska State Trooper recruits, graduated from the Public Safety Training Academy in Sitka, June 13, 2019.
The graduation ceremony at the Sheet’ka Kwaan Naa Kahidi Tribal Community House concludes Alaska Law Enforcement Training (ALET) Session No. 1901. To complete the academy, the recruits from around the state went through 1042 hours of training in the 16-week basic ALET. The training incorporates intensive instruction in law enforcement-related topics, physical fitness, and many scenario-based exercises designed to prepare entry-level police officers, Village Public Safety Officers, and Troopers for a successful career in Alaska law enforcement. The Alaska State Troopers streamed the ceremony Live on Facebook.
The graduates are:
• Benjamin Barenburg, Fairbanks Airport Police & Fire
• Jacob Barker, Alaska State Troopers
• Tim Blackmon, Department of Natural Resources
• Leslie Bruce, North Slope Borough Police Department
• Joseph Chitty, Aleutian Pribilof Islands Association
• Kyler Clyburn, Hoonah Police Department
• Caleb Condon, Fairbanks Airport Police & Fire
• Walker Davis, Alaska State Troopers
• Cole Downing, Copper River Native Association
• Steven Duffy, Alaska State Troopers
• Emilo Garcia, Fairbanks Police Department
• Thomas Grubbs, Alaska State Troopers
• Amanda Hanchett, Ketchikan Police Department
• Trenton Harris, Alaska State Troopers
• Jonah Hennings-Booth, Juneau Police Department
• Chase Hudson, Alaska State Troopers
• Tyler Jeffres, Homer Police Department
• Andrew Jonda, Chugachmiut
• Jason Knier, Alaska Wildlife Troopers
• Abraham Knuteson, Alaska State Troopers
• Alexander LeClair, Alaska State Troopers
• Drew Massey, Alaska State Troopers
• Naomi Mitchell, Valdez Police Department
• Matt Montavon, Department of Natural Resources
• Quinn Nardini, Alaska State Troopers
• David Nault, Fairbanks Airport Police & Fire
• Vincent Nguyen, Nome Police Department
• Michael Paulsen, Chugachmiut
• Kit Pherson, King Cove Police Department
• Connor Phillips, Wrangell Police Department
• Matthew Posey, Alaska State Troopers
• Jedediah Purcell, Alaska State Troopers
• Mary Tiger, Alaska State Troopers
• Alex Valdez, Alaska State Troopers
• Ivan Voronin, Fairbanks Airport Police & Fire
• Duain White, Kodiak Police Department
• Jeffery Woods, Kodiak Police Department
• Joshua Yavorsky, Kodiak Police Department
• Chadd Yoder, Alaska State Trooper
After graduation, the 16 Alaska State Trooper recruits continue their training at the academy for an additional two weeks. This training session is often referred to as Trooper Basic. The Trooper recruits receive more tailored and advanced training during this session in fish and wildlife investigations, boating safety, survival, commercial fisheries enforcement, media relations, critical stress management, shotgun training, and search and rescue. They are also exposed to additional scenario-based training events.
Following Trooper Basic, Trooper recruits will move to their first duty assignment in Fairbanks, Soldotna, or the Mat-Su Valley for a 12-week Field Training and Evaluation Program (FTEP). All Trooper recruits are expected to develop to the point of being able to perform all law enforcement functions independently.
