Gov. Beshear: Kentucky State Police Announce Graduates from the Telecommunications Academy
Dedicated heroes answering the call to serve Kentuckians and law enforcement
FRANKFORT, Ky. (October 11, 2024) — Today, Gov. Andy Beshear and the Kentucky State Police (KSP) announced that eleven telecommunicators have graduated from the KSP Telecommunications Academy. The graduates have been assigned to seven posts across the commonwealth and are ready to answer calls for service for Kentuckians and law enforcement.
“These Kentuckians have completed intensive training and are fully prepared to meet the needs of our citizens and law enforcement,” said Gov. Beshear. “I applaud their dedication to public service, their commitment to safeguarding our communities and their vision for building a new Kentucky home.”
KSP telecommunicators handle dispatch duties for Kentucky state troopers, commercial vehicle enforcement officers, conservation officers and other emergency service agencies as needed. Last year, they answered over one million calls, resulting in more than 400,000 requests for assistance.
“Telecommunicators are the first response to an emergency situation,” said KSP Commissioner Phillip Burnett Jr. “We are grateful to be able to add eleven new telecommunicators to our team as we work daily to strengthen public safety for the commonwealth.”
The graduates of Class 24 received 160 hours of instruction over four weeks. Major training areas include legal liability, limits of telecommunicator authority, telecommunicator’s role in public safety, interpersonal communications, customer service, combating stress and PTSD, ethics and confidentiality, responder safety, basic fire dispatch, state emergency operation plans, criminal justice information systems, first aid training, emergency medical dispatch and special needs callers.
During the academy, graduates were required to successfully process scripted calls for service and demonstrate proficiency in obtaining pertinent information, dispatching first responders, providing emergency medical dispatch if needed and correctly documenting information from the call for assistance. The training concluded with a computer simulation system that simulated their work environment in the radio room.
“Class 24 has demonstrated outstanding skill in managing emergency calls and handling high-pressure situations,” said KSP Telecommunications Instructor Jason Long. “Telecommunicators are essential to ensuring efficient emergency response throughout Kentucky, and I look forward to their valuable contributions to our commonwealth.”
Class 24 graduates and their assigned posts are:
- Joya Smith, Post 1, Mayfield
- Tyler Steele, Post 1, Mayfield
- Wesley Benham, Post 5, Campbellsburg
- Katie Perdue, Post 5, Campbellsburg
- Vanessa Riggs, Post 5, Campbellsburg
- Jamie Armstrong, Post 6, Dry Ridge
- Cody Abner, Post 7, Richmond
- Railyn Bolin, Post 7, Richmond
- Samantha Shear, Post 12, Frankfort
- Samantha Roberts, Post 13, Hazard
- Michaela Bowman, Post 16, Henderson
The ‘Charlotte Tanner Valedictorian’ Award is presented to the graduate who earned the highest-class GPA and demonstrated extraordinary effort during the KSP Telecommunications Academy. The award is named in honor of the founder of the KSP telecommunications program, Charlotte Tanner, who served the commonwealth for more than 50 years as a telecommunicator, radio room supervisor and instructor.
This year’s Charlotte Tanner Valedictorian Award has been awarded to Katie Perdue from Post 5 with a grade point average of 99.6%
The mission of KSP is to promote public safety through service, integrity and professionalism using partnerships to prevent, reduce and deter crime and the fear of crime, enhance highway safety through education and enforcement, safeguard property and protect individual rights.
The agency is continuing to recruit interested individuals to join Team Kentucky and provide critical assistance and assurance to their neighbors and loved ones. To apply for a telecommunicator position with KSP, click here or contact the KSP post nearest you for more information.
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