MINNEAPOLIS— The Minnesota State Patrol swore in 35 new state troopers on Friday.
The cadets took the oath after completing the 68th and 68th State Patrol Training Academies.
The class had cadets from different backgrounds; the first Somali-American state soldier was sworn in, and another had fled the unrest in Burma.
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The candidates completed the so-called “Experienced Traffic Safety Officer” program and the “Law Enforcement Training Opportunity” program. The latter offers education and training for candidates who have completed a two- or four-year degree but have no law enforcement experience.
Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan thanked the new graduates and emphasized the importance of diversity within the State Patrol.
“When people who look like Minnesotans serve Minnesotans, we all do better,” she said.
Others to be sworn in Friday include a Marine, a man who speaks Spanish as his first language, and another soldier is from the White Earth Nation.
Johannes Lauritsen
