Springfield, Mo. ~ Springfield Police Department Welcomes Two New Officers from 23rd Lateral Police Academy Graduation

On Friday, Dec. 13, the Springfield Police Department proudly welcomed two new officers to their ranks with the graduation of the 23rd Lateral Police Academy. These experienced officers bring a wealth of knowledge and skills to the department, having previously served in other law enforcement agencies.

The lateral academy is a specialized training program designed for experienced officers, consisting of six weeks (240 hours) of in-house training to familiarize them with Springfield and the specific protocols of the Springfield Police Department. Following this training, the officers are then assigned to a field-training officer (FTO) for an additional six weeks of on-the-job training before being assigned to solo patrol duties in the Uniform Operations Bureau.

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One of the new officers, Jake Estes, began his career with the Christian County Sheriff's Office before spending six years on the Combined Ozarks Multi-Jurisdictional Enforcement Team (COMET) Task Force. A native of Springfield and graduate of Parkview High School, Estes holds a bachelor's degree in criminology with a minor in psychology from Missouri State University.

The other new officer, Tatem DeWitt, brings 25 years of experience serving the Springfield community. After retiring from the Springfield Police Department in 2024, DeWitt was rehired in an administrative role before applying for and being selected as a police officer. DeWitt is now assigned to the Special Investigations Section.

Chief Paul Williams expressed his congratulations to these two outstanding individuals and welcomed them to their new roles within the department. Officer Jake Estes was pictured alongside Chief Williams at his graduation ceremony, while Officer Tatem DeWitt was not pictured.

The addition of these two experienced officers will undoubtedly strengthen and enhance the capabilities of the Springfield Police Department as they continue their mission to serve and protect their community.

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