News : Jordan Barnes graduates from IDPS Academy; becomes State Trooper

The Iowa Department of Public Safety is proud to announce the graduation of 13 male and female recruits from the Iowa Department of Public Safety’s 38th Basic Academy. Recruit Jordan Barnes, of Vinton, the son of Michelle Ruess and Mike and Connie Barnes, is one of 13 recruits graduating from the DPS Basic Academy. The 13 recruits were sworn in as peace officers for the State of Iowa during the commencement ceremony Friday, November 7, 2014, at the Iowa Army National Guard Freedom Center at Camp Dodge. The graduates were among 15 recruits who began training on June 23; 600 applicants had applied for this year's class. Barnes also earned the Top Gun honor among this year's graduates. Once sworn in, these recruits will serve the State as Troopers (Level 1) with the Iowa State Patrol. Level 1 Troopers provide security at the Iowa State Capitol Complex and Terrace Hill. For the past 20 weeks, these recruits have completed courses on laws of arrest, search and seizures, defensive tactics, arrest techniques, precision driving, firearms, emergency management services, criminal law, human relations, physical fitness and motor vehicle law, along with many other courses. Barnes is a 2010 graduate of Vinton-Shellsburg High School, where he earned First Team All-District honors in football. During the 2009 season, he averaged 6.5 yards per carry for the team during its playoff-qualifying season. He was also a member of the Vikings' 2010 State Track team and part of the 4 X 100 relay team that finished in fourth place at State. Barnes was also one of the four Viking distance medley relay runners at State that year. He later played football at Coe College then transferred to Mount Mercy, where he graduated this year with a degree in criminal justice.