On April 15, Law Enforcement officers from the Price City Police Department (PCPD), the Carbon County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) and the Emery County Sheriff’s Office (ECSO) gathered to honor the newest graduates of USU Eastern’s Police Academy. Graduates were accompanied by family and friends as they each received their Certificate of Completion.
Shawn Addley, Director of the USU Eastern Peace Officer Academy, started the opening remarks. Addley stated that the graduates had received 412 hours of Special Functions Officer and Basic Corrections Officer (SFO and BCO) training and 392 hours in Law Enforcement Officer (LEO) training. These cadets were pushed not only physically but mentally during their rigorous training.
“I think we can all agree that it takes a special person to serve and protect a community that will love you one minute and despise you another,” stated Addley as he spoke about making the decision to choose Law Enforcement as a profession.
Addley, continued to speak about the sacrifices and challenges that these cadets will be facing as they step into their new professions. They will be faced with seeing and hearing things that no human being should have to hear and see. They will miss birthdays, anniversaries and many other family events.
Addley, asked that everyone give a round of applause to not only the family and friends of the newest cadets, but also the instructors who have spent many hours, days and weekends to ensure that the cadets received the very best training.
Scott Henrie, Former Director for USU Eastern Peace Officer Academy, was next on the podium to honor and offer words of wisdom to the cadets. Henrie has been in Law Enforcement for over 39 years, giving him years of experience and wisdom to be shared. Henrie jokingly stated that “he’s one of the old timers.”
Henrie went on to discuss how much has changed over the years as far as equipment goes (e.g., revolvers, handheld radios with 18 in. antennas and one giant rooftop light.) “Things have changed a lot since I was there, but even though they’ve changed, they are very much the same. To Serve and Protect, that may sound a little corny, but it is what it is, it is what we do. We are public servants in an honorable, noble profession and we should be proud of what we do. Think of everything you do, cadets, so that you may always be proud of what you did,” stated Henrie.
Henrie spoke about the power that will be handed down to these cadets as they move forward in their careers and, with that power, comes great responsibility and trust. Henrie advised to always stay victim-focused, always go the extra mile and take the time to do the best that you can on each case. “You may not want to be the one who finally becomes the victim to realize that you’ve been treating victims wrongly,” stated Henrie. Henrie ended his speech by congratulating each of the cadets on their accomplishments.
Sheriff Tyson Huntington of the ECSO also had a few words of advice for the cadets, while discussing the Code of Ethics. Huntington spoke about three of the deputies who have not only been working for his department while completing their P.O.S.T. training, but he also had the opportunity to watch them grow up over the years.
He spoke about Deputy Presley Lovato having been one of his students when he taught NOVA (a program similar to DARE) and now having been at the jail for a few months has gotten into fights, arguments and has had to talk guys down who were twice her size. Huntington then reminisced having to chase down Deputy Dalton Jeffs when he was younger because his driving was so terrible, and then joked that Deputy Timothy Larsen must have been an angel, because he didn’t remember him.
Huntington then read off the Code of Ethics, advising that the Code of Ethics is set into place to not only keep officers safe, but to keep them doing what is right. Huntington ended his speech with a quote from Al Capone stating “I don’t usually quote criminals in talks, but I’m gonna quote Al Capone. He said something to the affect of you can get a lot of things done by being kind, but you can get a lot more done by being kind and having a gun. Everyone already knows that we have that gun, so let’s let them know that we can be kind and helpful.”
Addley then called each one of the cadets up to the stage to receive their Certification of Completion as well as Special Awards and Recognitions.
The 2024 Graduating Cadets were:
Price City Officer Derick Anderson
Emery County Sheriff’s Deputies Dalton Jeffs, Timothy Larsen and Presley Lovato
Carbon County Sheriff’s Deputy Bradley Johnson
Officer Kelten Larsen
The following Cadets were awarded Special Awards:
Officer Anderson was awarded the LEO Physical Fitness award. Deputy Jeffs was awarded the Academic Award as well as the Firearms Excellence Award. Officer Kelten Larsen was awarded the Outstanding Award. Deputy Timothy Larsen was awarded the Highest Academic and Physical Fitness award for B.C.O.
Addley ended the ceremony by thanking all of his fellow officers, our local departments and to the cadets for choosing the path of Law Enforcement. However, he couldn’t end the night without thanking his wife and his children for always loving and supporting him.
