Minnesota State Patrol hires 12 new cadet grads from 64th training academy

(FOX 9) - The Minnesota State Patrol has announced the addition of 12 new state troopers that will join its ranks.

The 64th Minnesota State Patrol training academy began on Feb. 13 and included a 14-week course at Camp Ripley that consisted of numerous training sessions, such as motor vehicle crash investigation, traffic law, emergency vehicle operations, scenario-based de-escalation, defensive tactics and more, according to a news release.

The graduating class includes four women, eight cadets with prior law enforcement experience and the first set of identical twins to graduate out of the same academy. The sisters, Jamie and Jessica Bird, both previously worked as substitute teachers at Barnum High School, as part-time personal care assistants, and coached girl’s hockey.

The Minnesota Department of Public Safety (DPS) is made up of 11 divisions with 2,100 employees. Nearly 600 State Patrol troopers are the foundation of the agency that works to provide a safe environment on Minnesota’s roads.