FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SPD Honors and Welcomes Lateral Academy Graduates
On Wednesday, Nov. 20, the Springfield Police Department welcomed Officer Natalia Lohkamp, Officer Timothy Buie and Officer Stephan Dopp into the ranks of SPD after graduating from our 18th Lateral Police Academy. The new graduates were honored with a ceremony at the Springfield Regional Police and Fire Training Center, 2620 W. Battlefield.
A lateral officer is an experienced officer who came from another law enforcement agency and attends an abbreviated academy at the Springfield Regional Police and Fire Training Center. During the lateral academy, they receive six weeks (240 hours) of training to become acclimated to Springfield and the Springfield Police Department. After graduation, the officers are assigned to an experienced field-training officer (FTO) for six weeks of on-the-job training. Once that’s completed, they will be assigned to SPD’s Uniform Operations Bureau.
Officer Lohkamp comes to SPD from the Greene County Sheriff’s Office, Officer Buie comes from the Little Rock Arkansas Police department and before that he with the Ozark, Mo Police Department and Officer Dopp comes to SPD from the Saint Louis County Police Department.
Congratulations to each of our newest officers.
L-R: Officer Natalia Lohkamp, Officer Timothy Buie, Officer Stephan Dopp, Chief Paul Williams
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Media Contact: Jasmine Bailey, Public Affairs Officer
417-864-1786
[email protected]