By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
20 new recruits graduate from BTC’s Law Enforcement Academy
c12-12-22_BlackhawkLE-Class-22-89
Photo supplied by Bradley Ziegler, Blackhawk Technical College The December 2022 Law Enforcement Recruit Academy graduation class 22-89. Front row, left to right: Kalyn Collins, Carlos Galvan, Morgan Bittner, Joshua Reese, Hannah Carlson, Kyle Feucht, Heidi Welter, Brandon Nance, Klarissa Neff, Casey Sauter. Back row, left to right: Nicklaus Nandory, Landon Theis, Logan Shelby, Brett Bunnell, Nicholas Neumann, Matthew Kowalski, Jeffrey Knudson, Dominic Cavadias, Aaron Harring-Spoerl, Kyle Tripp.

JANESVILLE — Twenty students graduated on Friday from Blackhawk Technical College’s Law Enforcement Recruit Academy.

The event, which was held in the college’s new Conference Center, was the first graduation ceremony with family and friends present in person since 2019.

Troy Egger, Academy Director, said all academy classes are different, and this one stands out for their hard work, dedication and comradery.

“I can say that each of you have the potential to demand greatness of yourselves, and each of you have the ability to surpass expectations put on you by others,” Eggers said.

Carlos Galvan was chosen as the class speaker and said he sees his fellow graduates as family.

“I want to start of by thanking my peers for selecting me to give this speech. Our class is full of great individuals and natural born leaders. Truth be told, this could have been any one of us. We all took on a leadership role at one point or another during the academy…someone always stepped up at helped others,” he said.

This class also came together in November to raise more than $350 for the YWCA Rock County’s Care House in Janesville after a visit to the non-profit. The money raised provided four families with a complete Thanksgiving dinner.

Blackhawk’s Law Enforcement Basic Recruit Academy prepares students for certification as a law enforcement officer. Over a course of 720 instructional hours, recruits focus on the theories of law enforcement needed to be a sworn member of law enforcement in Wisconsin. In addition to the class instruction and hands-on practical exercises, recruits spend at least a half-hour of outside study time for every hour of class time. Upon completion, recruits are eligible for certification with the Wisconsin Department of Justice, Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board.