FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14. 2003 NEWS THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN = 5A Police recruits train to serve and protect By Erin Ohm eohm@kansan.com Kansas staff writer Two new police officers are on their way to joining the ranks of the KU Public Safety Office. Kelley Weiss/Kansan Sue Thompson, back, James Druen, left, and Cynthia Oatis, right, practice their first aid skills yesterday for an in-house workshop by the KU Public Safety Office. Thompson and Druen will leave on Monday for a training program at the police academy near Hutchinson. James Druen and Sue Thompson will travel to the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center near Hutchinson on Monday for a 14-week training session before they can begin work on the streets at the University of Kansas. Thompson and Druen have also been training at the Public Safety Office for six weeks and will undergo another week of training after they return. "Every department has a different training schedule." said Lt. Schuyler Bailey of the Public Safety Office. "The academy gives a general overview, but our job is to tailor that overview to our department." Part of the KU-specific training the office provides to its officers includes an introduction to people they are likely to encounter. Bailey said the officer trainees had met with people in the department of student housing the parking department and Watkins Memorial Health Center. Thompson said she appreciated the extra training the office provided before the sessions at the training center because she felt more prepared. "From what I've heard, we're probably more prepared than 90 percent of the people at the academy," she said. "Having this before, we already have a heads-up." At the training center, officer trainees have comprehensive general training, including defensive driving and how to react to confrontation or other situations in practical scenarios. Full-time law enforcement officers in Kansas are required to have a minimum of 560 hours of basic training plus 40 hours of continuing education every year. The training center, a division of continuing education at the University, trains a majority of officers in Kansas, according to its Web site, www.kletc.org. The process for becoming a full-fledged law enforcement officer in Kansas takes more than a year. After basic training, trainees undergo a 12-week program that allows them to work with another officer. Trainees are then put on a six-month probation period. Finally, after completion of the probation period, the trainees become titled police officers. "We have to provide the best officer we can and that comes through training." Bailey said. One of the most extensive areas of training is in studying laws. Officers had to be familiar with both state laws and municipal codes, Bailey said. Some aspects of the training, like how to interact with people, are not taught through books or techniques but are gained through experience. "Communication is the num ber one skill you need for this job," Druen said, "because that's what you do working with people." Both Drumen and Thompson said they plan to stay with the Public Safety Office. Druen, a recent graduate of Southwest Missouri State University, said he looked forward to working in a smaller, close-knit community and interacting with young people. Thompson, who previously worked in real estate, said she was excited to do something different and didn't foresee any difficulties with her new job. "I've felt very much at home here." she said. Bailey said he felt Thompson and Druen were doing well and learning quickly. "Both seem extremely enthusiastic about law enforcement and are eager to get into their training," he said. - Edited by Todd Rapp Conference teaches students to shape future By Cal Creek ccreek@kansan.com Kansan staff writer Bv Cal Creek Two University of Kansas students will use skills they learned during winter break to organize a round-table interfaith conference. Jennifer Donnally and Erin Larive; Lawrence sophomores, along with 61 other KU students, attended "Leading with Integrity" at the LeaderShape Institute, outside of Linwood in northeast Kansas, at the Tall Oaks Conference Center from Jan. 8 to 13. The students worked from about 8 a.m. until 10 p.m. or 11 p.m. for five days, meeting in groups, defining goals and doing group activities and ice-breakers, such as a trust fall, when one person falls from a ladder into others' arms. "It was a phenomenal time," Matthew Schooonover, Olathe freshman, said. "We got a little tired at the end. We were tired, but it was the good kind of tired." At the conference, Donnally and Larive began developing ideas for the interfaith conference. They wanted to join speakers representing Judaism, Catholicism, Protestantism and Islam to discuss world issues. Their first meeting will be at 7 p.m., Feb.27 at the Walnut room in the Kansas Union. A predominantly KU faculty instructed the students. Groups from the University have participated in the national program for the last six years. The conference's goal was to improve students' leadership abilities that would work in roles at any level: in a residence hall, fraternity, church, city or country. Students worked in large and small groups to achieve and develop what they called visions. Visions are goals the students created to challenge themselves and others in their specific communities. The students looked at both the long and short term requirements for these visions and how to best start them. Larive's vision involved her church as her community. She wanted to develop a program to encourage middle school and high school students to express themselves and be comfortable with who they are. "I've already talked to my youth pastor, and it looks like I'm going to be leading a large group this summer," Larive said. Schoonover's vision involved educating children in the Olathe School District in sign language because the Kansas School for the Deaf is located in Olathe and the town has a large deaf community. He said he hoped all children in the Olathe School District would be fluent in sign language by the time they graduated elementary school. He has begun to contact various deaf and disabled associations, he said. The Office of Organizations and Leadership chose 61 students to attend after receiving about 100 applications in November. Several departments, offices and organizations throughout the University sponsored the conference. Each student paid $50 to cover the remaining fees. NewsNewsNewsNews NewsNewsNewsNews NewsNewsNewsNews NewsNewsNewsNews NewsNewsNewsNews NewsNewsNewsNews NewsNewsNewsNews NewsNewsNewsNews NewsNewsNewsNews NewsNewsNewsNews NewsNewsNewsNews NewsNewsNewsNews NewsNewsNewsNews NewsNewsNewsNews NewsNewsNewsNews NewsNewsNewsNews NewsNewsNewsNews NewsNewsNewsNews NewsNewsNewsNews NewsNewsNewsNews NewsNewsNewsNews NewsNewsNewsNews NewsNewsNewsNews NewsNewsNewsNews NewsNewsNewsNews NewsNewsNewsNews NewsNewsNewsNews NewsNewsNewsNews NewsNewsNewsNews NewsNewsNewsNews — Edited by Lindsay Hanson NewsNewsNewsNews NewsNewsNewsNews NewsNewsNewsNews kansan.com marsan.com News. Now. kansan.com The student newspaper of the University of Kansas Front Page News • Sports Arts • Opinion • Extra- The Jayhawk Charm ITALIAN LINK BRACELETS Interchangeable alphabet and charm links let you create your own one-of-a-kind stretch bracelet featuring! The • 18K Gold • Stainless Steel Ete • Semi-Precious Stones 928 Massachusetts * (785) 843-0611 UNDER NEW OWNERSHIP COME SEE OUR NEW DANCERS! NEW WEEKLY SPECIALS SUNDAY: $2 WELLS $2 DOMESTIC BOTTLES MONDAY: SERVICE INDUSTRY NIGHT $1 WELLS ALL NIGHT TUESDAY: 2 FOR 1 TUESDAY TUESDAY: 2 FOR 1 TUESDAY 2 FOR 1 COCKTAILS ALL NIGHT WHATEVER YOUR FLAVA THURSDAY: BOTTOMLESS WELLS PAY $25 AT THE DOOR AND DRINK ALL NIGHT ON US! FRIDAY: $2 SHOTS ALL NIGHT SATURDAY: $2 SHOTS ALL NIGHT WEDNESDAY: $2 EVERYTHING WE MEAN EVERYTHING NOW HIRING: EARN UP TO $500 A NIGHT! 913 N 2nd St Lawrence,KS 785-841-4122 Free cover with this ad! (21 & over) Russell Stover Candies . Cookies . Ice Cream Russell Stover is Your Valentine Headquarters! Special Hand Packed Chocolate Hearts Fresh Baked Valentine Cookies Custom Valentine Candies Solid Chocolate Roses Valentine Baskets and Boxes For Your Special Someone... Let Us Create a Special Valentine Gift! Chocolate Dipped Strawberries Now Available 23rd & Naismith Lawrence, Kansas (785) 830-8603 Hours: Mon-Sat 9:00-9:00pm / Sun. 12:00-7:00pm ---