Mankato Public Safety gains nine new peace officers

MANKATO, Minn. (KEYC) - Out of the nine new Mankato Public Safety Officers, three graduated from Minnesota State University, Mankato.

“I’d like to give a shout out to Pat Nelson law enforcement,” Mankato Public Safety peace officer Greg Theriault said.

Dakota Wendell, Collin Johnson and Greg Theriault are over the moon about getting to put their dreams to fruition and finally make it official.

“It’s really exciting, especially having graduated from MSU and getting to work here in Mankato, in the city where we went to school,” Wendell remarked.

“I was born and raised here, so it’s exciting, it’s different to interact with the people that you grew up with,” Colin Johnson explained.

“To be out here experiencing it and putting our actions from our words is amazing,” Theriault stated.

Pat Nelson, a professor and faculty chair of the Criminal Justice Program at Minnesota State University, Mankato, guided the new officers through their law enforcement paths.

“To talking about those really hard issues about systemic racism, social media, public perception, our authority as law enforcement officers,” she said.

From the four years of study, internships and skills training, the new officers say they’re ready to take on their new profession.

“A lot of our professors had real law enforcement experience that they could help reflect onto us so we could learn things from their careers as well,” Wendell remarked.

“Creating scenarios that you could practice handling and although you could never simulate real life, some of those kind of indicators that you are looking for will stick with you and are very important,” Theriault stated.

Nelson is thrilled that after college that these graduates can find these different agencies all over southern Minnesota and thrive.

“Just have a passion, you know this is a great area to be in. There is so much to do for your community and you will find that it takes you a long way in life,” Nelson said.

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