CHRISTINA EICHELKRAUT / PVT The Nye County Sheriff’s Office graduating class 01-P-2007 at their graduation ceremony last Friday. Standing from left to right, Lt. Jack Hennigan, Assistant Sheriff Rick Marshall, and Bill Tidmarsh stand next to cadets Richard Owens, Boone Shampang, Thomas Miller, and Adam Tippetts. Sgt. Robert Balding, Sheriff Tony DeMeo, and TAC Officer James Scott stand to the right. Seated, from left to right, are new deputies Joshua Schiller, Patrick Back, Kaycee Lynn Otteson, Jason Blackburn, and Chris Harris. Advertisement

After six months of grueling training, a new batch of Nye County Sheriff's Office deputies graduated last Friday, ready to begin their 22 weeks of field training.

"It's been a roller coaster ride both physically and emotionally," Joshua Schiller, class speaker, told the audience.

But as Assistant Sheriff Rick Marshall told the graduating cadets earlier, "It's been a very successful journey."

The graduating cadets took the opportunity to thank all the deputies who helped them along the way.

Schiller said that the instructors made even the dry material interesting, explaining how during their emergency vehicle operators course (EVOC) they all learned "how little we really know about driving."

Special thanks were given to Reserve Lt. Mark Dahlgren, tactical officer, who volunteered his time and commuted from Las Vegas every day to teach the cadets.

"Without your help we might have been in serious trouble," Schiller said.

Dahlgren also became the first reserve officer in the history of Nevada to receive a management post for the reserve program.

In addition, Lt. Jack Hennigan was thanked for his "wisdom and guidance," and Sheriff Tony DeMeo was thanked numerous times for taking the time to personally drop in on the cadets and give them some encouragement.

Schiller said the new deputies were even grateful to Deps. Olsen and Thomassian for coming out to "terrorize the cadets."

Capt. Bill Becht, who was unable to attend the ceremony, was also thanked for his role in helping the cadets get through their training.

"Law enforcement is not a career for the faint of heart," Schiller said. "This job takes a special kind of person. Not everyone can graduate from a police academy, but we have."

Dep. Kaycee Lynn Otteson told the gathered supporters about how Lt. Jack Hennigan "brought a lot discipline to our class" and especially thanked Senior Tactical Officer Dep. James Scott.

"He was with us literally every day, he never had a break from us, and it's amazing he's still sane," Otteson said. "He's a great role model."

Ronald Casey, the ceremony's keynote speaker, reminded the new deputies that the most important they could do as graduates is to help people and that their most important skill to learn was people skills.

"The easy part is in the academy," Casey said. "Within a few months you'll know what I mean."

In addition to entering law enforcement to the chime of a bell and having loved one's pin their badges on their chest, the cadets also received awards for their individual achievements while in the academy.

The Top Gun Award for firearms proficiency went to Boone Shampang, who also was awarded the Emergency Vehicle Operators Award.

Jeffrey G. Bensen was deemed by his peers to be the Most Inspirational, and Thomas Stone graduated with the Most Improved Award.

The Top Academic Award was earned by Otteson, Schiller earned the Physically Fit Award.