ISP graduates nine new troopers

Nine new troopers will join the ranks of the Idaho State Police with graduation set for March 28, 2008 at the Grove Hotel in downtown Boise. The colorful graduation ceremony will include short presentations by Governor C.L. "Butch" Otter and ISP Director G. Jerry Russell, with the oath of office to be administered by 4th Judicial District Judge Thomas Watkins. The recruits are completing the 12-week Advanced Training Class, one of the final stages in the rigorous training process required to become an Idaho State Police Trooper. These new troopers will fill vacancies created by retirements, transfers or other types of attrition.

"This is the 35th session of our Advanced Training Class," said ISP Training Manager Steve Raschke. "In addition to basic law enforcement academy training our recruits received, the advanced academy gives these individuals the specialized skills they will need to operate independently as ISP Troopers. This includes education in the classroom, as well as an extensive range of hands-on enforcement skills needed by ISP patrol officers, which are typically gained through scenario-based training" he said. "It is an extremely demanding course of instruction, and these officers are to be commended for their diligence and hard work."

Seven of these new officers will be assigned to one of six Idaho State Police Regional offices, while the remaining two will serve as resident officers in the Moscow and Kamiah areas. Residents are typically assigned to smaller communities where they work primarily out of their patrol cars and report periodically to the regional office. The new troopers will first be assigned to a Field Training Officer (FTO) program for an additional 12-weeks of on-the-road training prior to being assigned to full patrol duty.