Wisconsin State Patrol welcomes 30 new officers to its ranks

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- After 23 weeks of intense training, 30 cadets were sworn in and received their badges as Wisconsin State Patrol officers during a graduation ceremony in Tomah on Friday, March 21. Wisconsin Department of Transportation Secretary Mark Gottlieb administered the oath of office.

Cadets in the 59th Recruit Class began their training at the Wisconsin State Patrol Academy at Fort McCoy on Oct. 6, 2013. Their training has prepared them for law enforcement careers as either State Patrol troopers or inspectors in one of five regions in the state.  Troopers generally patrol highways to enforce traffic safety and criminal laws while inspectors focus primarily on enforcement of motor carrier (large trucks and buses) safety laws and regulations.

“Throughout their rigorous training as cadets, our newest officers displayed the mental, physical, and emotional strength to succeed in a variety of traffic and public safety missions,” said Capt. Gerald Voight, commander of the State Patrol Academy. “They completed comprehensive instruction and hands-on training in an array of subjects, including traffic and criminal law, firearms marksmanship, emergency vehicle operations, crisis management and traffic crash investigations.  The state requires at least 520 hours of training to earn certification as a law enforcement officer.  However, our cadets received more than 800 hours of training before graduation, and they will continue their training and education throughout their careers.”

At the graduation banquet, special awards were presented to four cadets for outstanding performance during their training:

The following is a list of the State Patrol’s newest officers and their place of residence:

Tatsuo Anduze-Bell.... Eau Claire, WI

David Bertram............ Green Bay, WI

Christopher Caldwell. Eau Claire, WI

Alan Christian............ Eau Claire, WI

Nicholas Erickson....... Neenah, WI

Evan Fox..................... Shell Lake, WI

Amber George............ Appleton, WI

Daniel Gitzlaff............ Sturtevant, WI

Kyle Graf.................... New Berlin, WI

Benjamin Grams........ Mayville, WI

Aaron Gross............... Whitewater, WI

Jess Hansen............... Prairie du Sac, WI

Daniel Hester............. Sobieski, WI

Brent Johnson............ Altoona, WI

Clarissa Justmann...... Mayville, WI

Travis Kraft................. Green Bay, WI

Dillon Larson.............. La Crosse, WI

Ryan Ledden.............. Northfield, NJ

Nicholas Lorenzen...... Oconomowoc, WI

Adam Lukaszewski..... Madison, WI

Kyle Mason................ Wausau, WI

Holly Mulhern............ Osseo, WI

Beau Oliver................ Warrens, WI

Aaron Peterson.......... Madison, WI

Trevin Szulczewski..... Nekoosa, WI

Joshua Troth............... Caledonia, MN

Heather Van Nole...... Green Bay, WI

Jieire Vance................ Milwaukee, WI

Sou Xiong................... La Crosse, WI

Joseph Youngblood.... Monroe, WI