Suburban Law Enforcement Academy Graduates Class of 39 Recruits

The Suburban Law Enforcement Academy at College of DuPage recently graduated 39 recruits representing 27 police agencies in Northern Illinois.

The ceremony honored the recruits for completing 12 weeks – 480 hours – of basic law enforcement officer training this past spring.

Six special awards were presented to the recruits. Officer Austin Robertson of the Wheeling Police Department was presented the Firearms Proficiency Award. Officer Shawn Moy of the Naperville Police Department received the Best Overall Physical Fitness Award and Officer Kiersten Trillhaase of the Highland Park Police Department received the Most Improved Physical Fitness Award. Officer Michael Kaye of the Hoffman Estates Police Department earned the Leadership Award. Officer James Koukal of the Naperville Police Department earned the Academic Achievement Award as well as 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:

Elias Abudayeh, Elmhurst Police Department

Nijas Banushi, Naperville Police Department

Nick Binnendyk, Shorewood Police Department

Daniel Blake, Hinsdale Police Department

Brendan Cain, Northbrook Police Department

Mitchell Day, Lincolnwood Police Department

James Fatz, Northern Illinois Police Department

William Fuentes, Addison Police Department

Thomas Gagner, Downers Grove Police Department

Safik Ghogha, Highland Park Police Department

Juan Gonzalez, Hanover Park Police Department

Kevin Gray, Bartlett police Department

Eric Huffnus, Streamwood Police Department

Colin Hutchins, Clarendon Hills Police Department

Dillon Johnson, Shorewood Police Department

Robert Jones, Glenview Police Department

Gregory Karge, Downers Grove Police Department

Michael Kaye, Hoffman Estates Police Department

Joseph Kimnach, Hoffman Estates Police Department

James Koukal, Naperville Police Department

Sean Lang, Morton Grove Police Department

Abigail Lauer, Hanover Park Police Department

Fabian Limon, Hinsdale Police Department

Oscar Maldonado, Geneva Police Department

Grant McElroy, Hinsdale Police Department

Evan Moy, Bartlett Police Department

Shawn Moy, Naperville Police Department

Katie Perez, Berwyn Police Department

Jacob Roberts, Kendall County Sheriff’s Office

Austin Robertson, Wheeling Police Department

Benjamin Shulman, Palatine Police Department

Timothy Sierra, Glenview Police Department

Tomasz Skrzyniarz, Morton Grove Police Department

Jeffrey Swegler, Oak Brook Police Department

Dylan Trainor, Willowbrook Police Department

Kiersten Trillhaase, Highland Park Police Department

Deanne Wasielewski, Oak Brook Police Department

Magdalena Witkowska, Mount Prospect Police Department

Kevin Wsol, Elk Grove Village Police Department

SLEA Director Michael Casey addressed the assembly of approximately 500 guests made up of the graduate’s family members as well as representatives of the recruit officer’s employing agencies. Thomas Brady, College of DuPage Associate Dean of Continuing Education and the Homeland Security Training Institute, congratulated the recruits on behalf of the College.

The ceremony, held in Wentz Hall at North Central College in Naperville, also featured keynote speaker Chief Robert Porter of the Downers Grove Police Department, who welcomed the recruits into the law enforcement profession.

For more information on the Suburban Law Enforcement Academy, visit the web site at www.cod.edu/slea.