One Honored for Physical Fitness Excellence
By Edward Lynn
Mid-America Publishing
FORT DODGE, Iowa — The Iowa Department of Public Safety (DPS) celebrated the graduation of the 51st Basic Academy on Friday, December 20th, welcoming 18 new Troopers to its ranks. Among them, Troopers Bennett Eaton and Benjamin Gunderson, who will serve in the local Iowa State Patrol district, number 7.
Trooper Gunderson distinguished himself during the academy by earning the prestigious Earnest Baty Jr. Physical Fitness Award. Established in 1985, this honor recognizes recruits who demonstrate exceptional physical fitness by excelling in rigorous benchmarks, including completing a 1.5-mile run in under nine minutes, performing 20 or more pull-ups, and achieving at least 80 sit-ups in two minutes. Named in memory of Special Agent Earnest Baty Jr., the award is an indication of the DPS’s commitment to physical readiness for service.
DPS Commissioner Stephan Bayens praised the graduating class for their commitment. “We are incredibly proud of the accomplishments of our newest Troopers and extend our gratitude for their dedication to the safety and well-being of Iowa’s communities,” Bayens said during the ceremony at the Holiday Inn Airport Conference Center in Des Moines. “In a world full of challenges and opportunities, they have chosen a path of service and commitment.”
The academy, conducted at Camp Dodge, provided comprehensive training, including coursework in criminal law, defensive tactics, fair and impartial policing, emergency management services, and human trafficking. Recruits also honed skills in crisis intervention, precision driving, firearms handling, and physical fitness. “It’s a very rigorous and physical academy,” said District 7 Public Resource Officer (PRO) Trooper Paul Gardner. “It’s a 20 week process, which is a long time to be away from friends and family. You are doing pushups, you are running, you’re marching, training… physically, mentally, and academically, it’s very rigorous.”
Troopers Eaton and Gunderson will be stationed in DPS District 7, based in Fort Dodge and serving Calhoun, Kossuth, Hamilton, Humboldt, Pocahontas, Webster, and Wright counties, under District 7 Commander Lieutenant Aaron Smidt.
The district encompasses a 30 mile section of Interstate 35 and roughly 7,000 miles of rural secondary roads, according to Iowa Department of Transportation records, and is crossed from the East and West by Highway 20.
Among the duties Troopers in District 7 can expect are patrol, law enforcement, disaster response, event management, and dignitary protection. Among the major events regularly held in the area are the ABATE motorcycle rally outside Algona, county fairs, the Dayton Labor Day celebration, Frontier Days in Fort Dodge, Gowrie’s 4th of July celebration, the Boy’s and Girl’s State High School cross country meet, the Girl’s State High School Softball Tournament, and R.A.G.B.R.A.I. Additionally, Iowa’s first in the nation caucuses result in a lot of dignitary protection responsibilities around the presidential election cycle.
“We’re really excited to have new faces in our district. Especially with our manpower having been short,” said Gardner. “I know that they will help us to make the roads safer. Having some new troopers in the district will help to provide some more coverage, and we’re really excited to have them.”
Both new troopers will start on Thursday, January 2nd, Thursday. Following a day of orientation, they’ll be assigned a patrol vehicle and then undergo an additional 70 days of training with a senior trooper.
