Submitted photo
Paul Froehlich (left) and brother Kyle of St. Clair graduated together from the Minnesota State Patrol Academy, only the second time siblings have done so since the academy's inception in 1929.
Kyle and Paul Froehlich didn’t plan on becoming notable in Minnesota State Patrol history; it just worked out that way.
The brothers from St. Clair are only the second set of siblings to graduate from the Patrol’s academy since its inception in 1929.
And a cakewalk it was not.
“It’s pretty tough. It exceeded our expectations,” Paul said of the militaristic portion of their training at Camp Ripley near Little Falls.
That nine-week sojourn began the first day with a 4:30 a.m. wake-up call, and training proceeded from there in boot-camp fashion.
“I wanted to quit after the first week. I told myself, ‘I don’t need this,’” Kyle says. “But my wife was kicking me out the door, saying, ‘You gotta get back.’”
Kyle, 29, and Paul, 27, took roundabout routes to law enforcement.
Paul was an engineering student at Minnesota State and worked a few years as a draftsman before going back to take a few law enforcement classes at the behest of his brother.
He eventually graduated from the program and went on to become a small-town police officer.
Kyle’s college years were marked by indecision. He was a United Parcel Service driver for five years before his restlessness prompted him to go on a ride-along with a trooper.
That did it for him. He also got a law enforcement degree from MSU and spent three years as a Blue Earth County Sheriff’s deputy.
They decided to pursue State Patrol careers for differing reasons.
Paul was struck by its high degree of professionalism, right down to the way troopers wear their uniforms, while Kyle was seeking career autonomy.
“I just couldn’t believe how much freedom they have,” Kyle said. “When the 35W bridge collapsed, there were troopers from International Falls that just showed up to help.”
The brothers were among more than 500 applicants for the Patrol Academy, and among the 25 cadets who graduated last week.
The patrol’s most diverse class in its history includes an Asian female, two Hmong males, one Latino male, and one American Indian male.
The brothers will soon begin 12 weeks of field training in Burnsville before getting their first trooper assignments in April.
Paul would like to work on accident reconstruction someday, figuring his drafting skills would dovetail nicely with the task.
Kyle would eventually like to land a coveted spot with the department’s air patrol.
Both would like to work in the Mankato area. Kyle says that plays into the freedom afforded by the patrol.
“You’re able to transfer anywhere in the state, if there’s an opening,” says Kyle, whose ideal career path would shake out thusly:
Work the Mankato area for a couple of decades, then transfer to the Brainerd area as retirement neared.
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