Three western Iowa men graduated Friday, from the 39th Iowa Department of Public Safety Basic Academy. The three were among nine recruits to be sworn in as peace officers for the State of Iowa during the commencement ceremony held at the Iowa Army National Guard Freedom Center at Camp Dodge.

(The graduates are shown in the pictures below with IA Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds and Gov. Terry Branstad. Click on the picture to enlarge)

Trooper Austen Farver, from Atlantic, is assigned to District 16. Trooper Farver attended Des Moines Area Community College where he obtained his Associates degree in Criminal Justice.

Trooper Austen Farver

Trooper Michael Kannas

Trooper Matthew Raes

Trooper Michael Kannas, from Corning, is assigned to District 3. Michael attended Iowa State University majoring in Criminal Justice.

Trooper Matthew Raes, from Council Bluffs, is assigned to District 16. Matt attended Thomas Jefferson High School in Council Bluffs. While in high school, Matt took college classes through Iowa Western Community college.

For the past 21 weeks, the recruits have completed courses on laws of arrest, search and seizures, defensive tactics, arrest techniques, precision driving, firearms, emergency management services, criminal law, human relations, physical fitness and motor vehicle law, along with many other courses.