Forty-eight Cadets Graduate from KSP Training Academy
Eleven earn Associate’s Degrees.
NOTE TO EDITORS: There are two digital images located at the end of this release.
FRANKFORT, Ky. (Oct. 25, 2019) — The Kentucky State Police Academy presented diplomas to 48 new troopers at a graduation ceremony held in Frankfort today. The graduates consisted of a traditional class beginning on May 12, 2019 and a Law Enforcement Accelerated Program (LEAP) class, joining on August 4, 2019. Applicants for the fifth LEAP class were required to have two years of service in Kentucky and completion of their DOCJT training no later than May 1, 2017. The total number of graduates were among the 89 who initially reported.
KSP Commissioner Rick Sanders addressed the cadets during graduation and talked about two pieces of equipment they were issued.
“Each of these cadets has been issued a name plate and badge that is placed upon their uniform. The badge is critically important and has two sides. The side that faces inward toward your heart is to remind you to always have a servant’s heart. The other side has ‘Kentucky State Police’ embossed on it and it is to remind you that you represent the Commonwealth of Kentucky.”
Sanders went on to challenge the cadets in reference to their name plate on their uniform. “Protect and honor that name that appears on your name plate. Never forget your family name and always keep it in your heart when you are doing your job. Reputation and character means everything,” added Sanders.
KSP Academy Commander Kyle Nall said training cadets to become a Trooper involves much more than the day-to-day tasks of a law enforcement career.
“We invest in the lives of our cadets to ensure that they possess the physical, mental, and ethical standards which our agency strives to promote’” said Nall. “We want men and women who are prepared to make the world a better place, and in order to achieve that, we have to convince them to leave their own preconceived limitations behind once their training begins.”
Nall went on to say that the two ladies and forty-six gentlemen graduating today should be proud of this accomplishment. “The impact they will leave starts tomorrow and I look forward to watching their careers develop and seeing all of the remarkable things they are capable of achieving over the duration of their careers.”
Several members of the class earned special recognition including:
Valedictorian
Class 98 – Dakota Rasche, of Morehead, Ky.
Class 99 – Clinton Overstreet, of Bedford, Va.
Salutatorian
Class 98 – Cody Jackson, of Hazel, Ky.
Class 99 – Dean Lunz, of Edmonton, Ky.
Two new troopers received the Ernie Bivens Award. This honor is presented to a cadet in each class who, in the opinion of the KSP Academy staff supported by input from the cadets themselves, shows distinction as a class leader, strives for academic excellence and has excelled in all phases of the academy’s physical and vocational training. The recipients are:
Cadet Class 98 – Janos Briscoe Jr., of Bowling Green, Ky.
Cadet Class 99 – Dean Lunz, of Edmonton, Ky.
Eleven cadets earned Associate’s Degrees in General Occupational and Technical Studies from the Bluegrass Community and Technical College during the training. They include:
Seth Blanton, of Paintsville, Ky.
Matthew Cornett, of Corbin, Ky.
James Crawford, of Crofton, Ky.
Phillip Davis, of Nicholasville, Ky.
Aron Jones, of Somerset, Ky.
Jonathan Ledford, of Cumberland, Ky.
Daniel Mann, of Hardyville, Ky.
Lisa Nelson, of Louisa, Ky.
Tracy Salyer, of Salyersville, Ky.
Mark Spencer, of Paintsville, Ky.
Wesley Thompson, of Cave Run, Ky.
The cadets are the third group to benefit from new hiring guidelines established by the legislature in 2017. Through this revision, anyone who possesses a high school diploma or GED and has three years of full-time work experience can apply for employment as a Kentucky State Trooper and earn an associate’s degree during the training process.
The following is a list of the new troopers, their duty assignments and their hometowns or residency:
POST 1, MAYFIELD
Casey Hamby, Marion, Ky.
Cody Jackson, Hazel, Ky.
POST 2, MADISONVILLE
Grant Penrod, Lewisburg, Ky.
Alec Winters, Central City, Ky.
POST 3, BOWLING GREEN
Cody Edwards, Glasgow, Ky.
Ben Hubbard, Glasgow, Ky.
POST 4, ELIZABETHTOWN
John Goldsborough, Louisville, Ky.
Matt Johnson, Shepherdsville, Ky.
Dillon Spencer, Shepherdsville, Ky.
POST 5, CAMPBELLSBURG
Garret Clark, Hickory, Ky.
James Crawford, Crofton, Ky.
Dustin Gross, Richmond, Ky.
Jarred Perkins, Greensburg, Ky.
Landon Terry, Bardstown, Ky.
Mason Wilson, Warsaw, Ky.
POST 6, DRY RIDGE
Chad Barnes, Richmond, Ky.
Janos Briscoe Jr., Bowling Green, Ky.
Phillip Davis, Nicholasville, Ky.
Steven Krueger, Florence, Ky.
Gregory Randolph, London, Ky.
Michael Sanguigni II, Lexington, Ky.
POST 8, MOREHEAD
Justin Baker, Jackson, Ky.
Jonathon McGraw, Grayson, Ky.
Wesley Montgomery, West Liberty, Ky.
Dakota Rasche, Morehead, Ky.
Joseph Semtak, Beattyville, Ky.
Alexander Vanhoose, Paintsville, Ky.
POST 9 PIKEVILLE
Bailey Combs, Vicco, Ky.
Matthew Cornett, Corbin, Ky.
Noah Ritchie, Hazard, Ky.
Tracy Salyer, Salyersville, Ky.
Mark Spencer, Paintsville, Ky.
Matthew Turner, Jackson, Ky.
Post 10, Harlan
Tate Knight, London, Ky.
Daniel Mann, Hardyville, Ky.
POST 12, FRANKFORT
Brandon Crabtree, Louisville, Ky.
Clinton Overstreet, Bedford, Va.
Post 13, Hazard
Kevin Day, Hazard, Ky.
POST 14, ASHLAND
Seth Blanton, Paintsville, Ky.
Travis Cundiff, Olive Hill, Ky.
Jonathan Ledford, Cumberland, Ky.
Lisa Nelson, Louisa, Ky.
Dylon Pennington, London, Ky.
POST 15, COLUMBIA
Aron Jones, Somerset, Ky.
Dean Lunz Jr., Edmonton, Ky.
Post 16, Henderson
Wade Denton, Robards, Ky.
Lacey Schroader, Owensboro, Ky.
Wesley Thompson, Cub Run, Ky.
Each new trooper will be supervised by a training officer for 12 weeks after reporting to their post assignments.
For information about a career as a Kentucky State Police Trooper, visit the KSP Recruitment website at www.joinksp.com. Applicants may also call the Recruitment Office toll-free at 1-866-360-3165 during office hours from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (ET) Monday through Friday or leave a message any other time.
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Photo A: Forty-eight cadets had their final inspection before their graduation ceremony on October 25th. |
Photo B: Forty-eight cadets were sworn in as troopers. |