Minnesota State Patrol welcomes first graduates from Experience Traffic Safety Officer Academy
MINNEAPOLIS -- After 10 weeks of intense training, the Minnesota State Patrol welcomed its 66th class of graduates Friday morning.
"Whether it was in the dark days in June of 2020 or whether it's on the roads during a snow storm this week, the sense of comfort and the sense that things are going to be okay comes with the maroon and gold in the Minnesota State Patrol," Gov. Tim Walz said.
The group is called the "Experienced 66th" -- the first class of graduates of the Experience Traffic Safety Officer Academy.
"When you applied, you had to demonstrate your commitment to the state patrol's mission of traffic safety by documenting the number of traffic stops documented, impaired driving arrests made and crashes investigated over the previous three years," Captain Eric Barthel said to the group.
With their experience, the patrol was able to shorten its academy stay by four weeks. But that doesn't mean corners were cut. It raises the already high bar to be a member of the state patrol.
"The reality is, you're selected for the opportunity to become a trooper. But you honestly have to earn the title of trooper through that academy. It was very challenging. There's no shortage of challenges," Trooper Darin Vossen said.
And now, the real work begins.
"I'm not too nervous about going forward from here because of my prior experience in law enforcement," Vossen said. "But this is something I've wanted for a very, very long time so the fact that I'm here today...I feel nothing but excitement for my future at this point."
The cadets still have three more months of training before starting solo patrols in June.
