Suburban Law Enforcement Academy graduates 51 recruits
The Suburban Law Enforcement Academy at College of DuPage recently graduated 51 recruits representing 37 police agencies in Northern Illinois.
The ceremony honored the recruits for completing 12 weeks - 480 hours - of basic law enforcement officer training which began this past spring.
Six special awards were presented to the recruits.
• Officer Brian Bastian of the Broadview Police Department was presented the Firearms Proficiency Award.
• Officer Ognjen Saric of the Mount Prospect Police Department and Katrina Smolarczyk of the Wheeling Police Department shared the Academic Achievement Award.
• Officer Andrew Kolodziej of the Addison Police Department received the Best Overall Physical Fitness Award.
• Officer Alexander Wagner of the Woodridge Police Department received the Most Improved Physical Fitness Award.
• Officer Kevin Lackey of the Evergreen Park Police Department earned the Leadership Award.
• Officer Ryan Harrison of the Glencoe Department of Public Safety earned the George Graves Award for being selected as the most distinguished recruit by his fellow officers in the class.
All award winners received plaques with their names engraved.
The graduating recruits are as follows:
Addison Police Department: Thomas Gilbert, Andrew Kolodziej, and Alex Ruffolo
Aurora Police Department: Andrew Derry
Aurora University Police Department: Emily Beck
Batavia Police Department: Robert Sbarboro
Barrington Police Department: Jonathan Walker
Bellwood Police Department: Ricardo Sarabia
Broadview Police Department: Brian Bastian
Chicago Heights Police Department: Adrian Stapor
Crystal Lake Police Department: David Emrich and Michael Maloney
Countryside Police Department: Michael Rojas
Darien Police Department: Joseph Pastick
Deerfield Police Department: Quentin Davie
Downers Grove Police Department: Richard Romani
Elgin Police Department: Latasha Williams and Martin Vega
Elmhurst Police Department: Zach Carney
Evergreen Park Police Department: Kevin Lackey
Glencoe Department of Public Safety: Ryan Harrison
Glenview Police Department: Bartosz Bazan
Hanover Park Police Department: Nikki Arroyo, Michael Ciupka, and Kevin Gauer
Highland Park Police Department: Alex Bandas
Hinsdale Police Department: Kevin Berland
Huntley Police Department: Jeffrey Fabis
Lake County Sheriff's Office: Garrick Corder and Kathryn Gordon
Libertyville Police Department: Rachel Heyde
Morton Grove Police Department: Michael Crowe, Justin Hough, and Robert Toussaint
Mount Prospect Police Department: Phillip Hernandez and Ognjen Saric
Northlake Police Department: Brian Kruschke and Paul Wrona
Palatine Police Department: Jason Kidd
Round Lake Police Department: Chris Murphy
Round Lake Beach Police Department: Timothy Gannon
Shorewood Police Department: Mark Zajac
Skokie Police Department: Joseph Kurpiel, Shane Long and Jessica Sexton
Streamwood Police Department: Benjamin Steinmetz
Tinley Park Police Department: Samantha Bishop
Wheeling Police Department: Bret Potter and Katrina Smolarczyk
Wilmette Police Department: Jeffrey Kutschke
Woodridge Police Department: Alexander Wagner
SLEA Director Michael Casey addressed the assembly of approximately 500 guests made up of the graduates' family members, as well as representatives of the recruit officers' employing agencies. The keynote speaker was Chief Brian King of the Wilmette Police Department, who welcomed the graduates to the law enforcement profession.
The ceremony was held in the McAninch Arts Center at College of DuPage. For more information on the Suburban Law Enforcement Academy, visit www.cod.edu/slea.