Eighteen recruits graduated from Allan Hancock College’s Basic Law Enforcement Academy on Dec. 15 at the college’s Public Safety Training Complex in Lompoc.
The graduating recruits of Class #21-122 gathered with their friends and families to celebrate the completion of more than 830 training hours required to graduate from the academy and enter careers as peace officers. All of the recruits have already been hired by Central Coast law enforcement agencies.
“Hancock is incredibly proud to train a new generation of essential public servants,” said Hancock Superintendent/President Kevin G. Walthers, Ph.D. “These are the highly-skilled people who you want to be there to help you on your very worst day.”
In order to graduate, the recruits were required to successfully pass Hancock’s Basic Law Enforcement Academy. The academy is a California Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) course consisting of 830 hours of instruction. During the academy, the recruits received training in community policing, search and seizure, firearms, ethics, investigation procedures, patrol techniques, arrest and control, physical training, CPR/First Aid, emergency vehicle operations and other important skills. Each recruit shot thousands of rounds of ammunition, passed multiple written exams and ran more than 216 miles as part of their academy training.
All 18 academy graduates are now employed by local law enforcement agencies including the San Luis Obispo, Paso Robles, Lompoc and Santa Maria police departments, as well as the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office and the Santa Barbara Airport Police Department.
The Class #21-122 graduates are: Daniel Abernethy, Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office; Christian Ares, San Luis Obispo Police Department; Nicholas Conforti, Santa Barbara Airport Police Department; Oscar Covarrubias, Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office; Francisco De La Mora, Lompoc Police Department; Gregory Dominguez, Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office; Elias Gonzalez, Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office; Estanislao Gutierrez, Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office; Sergio Gutierrez, Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office; Chandler Morrell, Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office; Jesse Pierce, San Luis Obispo Police Department; Marc Pyle, Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office; Jonathan Reyes, Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office; Ignacio Rios, Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office; Miguel Rodriguez, Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office; Angela Polido Sandoval, San Luis Obispo Police Department; Timothy Trefts, Santa Maria Police Department; and Juan Valdez, Paso Robles Police Department.
Hancock’s Law Enforcement Academy is one of many Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs the college offers. Potential students are encouraged to explore these and other degree and certificate programs on the college’s new Guided Pathways website at www.hancockcollege.edu/pathways. Registration is open for spring classes, which start on Jan. 24. Register today at www.hancockcollege.edu/spring.
