DPS NEWS

POST Class #344 Graduation

On Thursday, September 26th, DPS’ Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Law Enforcement Academy held graduation exercises for Law Enforcement Officer Session #344. The class’s motto was “344 – We Want More!”

Forty-seven new officers, deputies and troopers graduated and will join 18 different law enforcement agencies throughout the state. The agencies receiving new law enforcement officers from session #344 are as follows: 

• Adult Probation and Parole
• American Fork Police Department
• Kanab Police Department
• Lehi Police Department
• Ogden Police Department
• Provo Police Department
• Richfield Police Department
• Sandy Police Department
• Sanpete County Sheriff’s Office
• Summit County Sheriff’s Office
• Tooele County Sheriff’s Office
• Uintah County Sheriff’s Office
• University of Utah Police Department
• Utah County Sheriff’s Office
• Utah Highway Patrol
• Wasatch County Sheriff’s Office
• Weber County Sheriff’s Office
• West Valley City Police Department

Richfield Police Department Chief Trent Lloyd delivered the keynote address. After reflecting on his law enforcement career, he offered the new officers advice as they embark on their careers. Chief Lloyd told the graduates that they don’t know all the answers and encouraged them to find good mentors and to emulate what they do. Another piece of advice he offered was “If you’re going to be one, be a good one,” and told the graduates to be the best at what they do.

“Don’t blink,” Chief Lloyd told the graduates, as he discussed how quickly elements of their lives and careers will go by. “Enjoy where you’re at and work hard and the opportunities will come.” It’s a piece of advice Chief Lloyd takes very much to heart – his boat is named “Don’t Blink” in order to remind him to enjoy each moment.

“It never ceases to amaze me the quality of men and women who come into this career,” Chief Lloyd said in conclusion. “They get better and better as time goes on.” And they are picking up the torch where senior law enforcement officers are leaving off and carrying it forward.

New Weber County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Elijah Rosett delivered the class response. In reflecting on the graduates’ academy experience, Deputy Rosett noted that over the 15 weeks, they had completed 370 hours of classroom training, 55 hours of defensive tactics training, 48 hours of PT, 52 hours on the firing range and 40 hours of EVO driving.

“Our instructors gave us an amazing foundation in the skills we need,” he said. “But that foundation is useless if you don’t build on it.”

He noted that it is essential that he and his fellow graduates develop good, productive habits right now that will stay with them during the rest of their careers.

“We need to become the very best officers we can,” Deputy Rosett said. “We need to become the officer we would want responding to our families and to ourselves if there is every an emergency.”

POST’s Sgt. Lauritzen administered the law enforcement code of ethics to the graduates, who then received their law enforcement certificates.

Several of the graduating cadets were recognized for significant achievements. The Outstanding Firearms Award, which is given to the cadet with the overall high average on the day shoot and night shoot was presented to new Wasatch County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Hayden Walker.

New Weber County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Elijah Rosett received the Outstanding Physical Fitness Award.

The High Academic Award went to new Utah County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Spencer Volk.

And the Outstanding Achiever Award, presented by the Utah Peace Officer Association, went to new Utah Highway Patrol Trooper Alexander McCampbell.

Please join us in welcoming these new members of Utah’s law enforcement community! Congratulations Class 344!