Two New Marion Officers Among Grads of Patrol Training Course

Members of the 131st Basic Peace Officer Class received training certificates during a graduation ceremony held Friday morning at the Ohio State Highway Patrol Academy. The 33 graduates will assume duties as peace officers for 19 Ohio agencies, including the Marion Police Department. The 131st Basic Peace Officer Class utilized Ohio casino training funds to cover training costs for a Basic Peace Officer training course.

The 19-week basic course began in February. The course was developed by the Ohio Peace Officer Training Commission and offers comprehensive instruction in more than 150 topics, including criminal law, traffic law, community relations, physical training, self-defense, firearms,  emergency vehicle operations, standardized field sobriety testing, and electronic speed measuring devices.

Officer Christopher L. Brausch, Forest Park Police Department, was selected class speaker by his fellow class members and addressed the assembly.

Class honors went to the following:

• Overall Top Performer – Jared L. Thompson, Ohio Investigative Unit
• Top Academic – Martine D. Trenum Jr., Hamilton Police Department
• Top Firearms – Jared L. Thompson, Ohio Investigative Unit
• Top Physical Fitness – Donald E. Bringht, Euclid Police Department and Jennifer B. Sachs, Ohio Investigative Unit
• Top Driving – Kori A. Korinek, Parma Police Department

Before these casino law enforcement training funds were available, it was the responsibility of the individual agencies to incur the cost of training their officers if the agency did not have a training facility of their own. The police officers graduating in this class are going to communities in Ohio at no cost to the agencies or their communities.

Chief Patrick J. Berarducci, Medina Police Department, was the featured speaker for the ceremony and addressed an audience of graduates, friends, relatives and law enforcement officers. Colonel Paul A. Pride, Patrol superintendent, provided remarks and presented the certificates of training to the graduates.