Kentucky State Police


The Kentucky State Police is a department of the Kentucky Justice and Public Safety Cabinet, and the official State Police force of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, responsible for statewide law enforcement. The department was founded in 1948 and replaced the Kentucky Highway Patrol. The department's sworn personnel hold the title State Troopers and are addressed as Trooper and its nickname is The Thin Gray Line.

History

In 1948, the Kentucky General Assembly enacted the State Police Act, creating the Kentucky State Police and making Kentucky the 38th state to create a force whose jurisdiction extends throughout the given state. The act was signed July 1 of that year by Governor Earle C. Clements. The force was modeled after the Indiana State Police. The force was the successor agency to the Kentucky Highway Patrol, and inherited the equipment and officers from that organization. Guthrie F. Crowe served as the force's first commissioner.

Posts

Kentucky State Police troopers operate from 16 regional posts:
West Troop
East Troop
The KSP Division of Commercial Vehicle Enforcement operates from 6 regional offices:
West Troop
East Troop
In addition, the Special Enforcement Troop includes the following branches:

Uniforms of the KSP

Troopers wear the standard French gray KSP uniform, consisting of a short sleeve and long sleeve version. Winter trousers are charcoal gray with a 1" black stripe down the side. Summer trousers are French gray with 1" black stripe. Patent leather chukka high top shoes are worn with both uniforms. The badge is worn on the left side of the shirt, with the Trooper's name plate directly below on the left breast pocket flap. Officers wear their rank insignia on the shirt collar while all other troopers wear their rank, if applicable, on their shirt sleeves. A white crew neck T-shirt is worn under the uniform shirt, per Kentucky uniform regulations. KSP requires a tie with long sleeve shirts, and the tie is to be tucked into the uniform shirt. The campaign hat is synonymous with troopers of the KSP. It is French gray in color, and troopers are issued two hats: straw for summer and felt for winter. A Kentucky State Police full color brass seal is worn on the front of the hat. The hat chord is light gray. Commercial Vehicle Enforcement officers uniforms are identical to that of Troopers except that the uniform and campaign hats are tan instead of French gray. Facilities Security Branch uniforms are also tan but have a special Facilities Security Branch shoulder patch instead of the standard KSP shoulder patch.

Vehicles

The Kentucky State Police use a variety of police cruisers and patrol vehicles. The current fleet consists of:
The Dodge Charger 5.7L AWD PPV currently serves as the primary KSP fleet vehicle. Due to Ford's discontinuation of the CVPI in 2011 KSP tested a series of vehicles to replace the CVPI between 2012 and 2013. These tests included the Chevy Caprice PPV, Ford Taurus, and Dodge Charger PPV. The KSP Division of Commercial Vehicle Enforcement currently utilize the Ford Explorer Utility Police Interceptor as they retire their fleet of CVPI's and Chevrolet Caprice PPV's. The KSP Facilities Security Branch will replace their CVPI's with Ford Taurus-based Police Interceptors.

Sidearm

In 2017 Troopers transitioned from the Glock Model 35.40 S&W to the Glock Model 17 9mm as their primary sidearm. Prior to the Glock Model 35 troopers carried the 10mm Smith & Wesson Model 1076.

Overview

The department's headquarters are located at 919 Versailles Road in Frankfort while its training academy is located in the former Frankfort Career Development Center at 380 Coffee Tree Road in Frankfort. Cadets training to become troopers undergo a 24-week, paramilitary-style training program. Potential cadets who hold their Kentucky Peace Officers Professional Standards certification and have two years of experience as a local, county or state law enforcement officer in Kentucky are eligible to apply to become troopers through the department's Law Enforcement Accelerated Program. Those accepted as LEAP cadets must meet all of the other requirements for acceptance into the KSP Academy and undergo an accelerated 12-week academy training class. Sworn Commercial Vehicle Enforcement officers undergo an initial 18 weeks of basic law enforcement officer training at the Department of Criminal Justice Training Academy on the campus of Eastern Kentucky University in Richmond unless they have already completed this training at an earlier date. This is followed by a four-week training program at the KSP Academy that provides specialized training on commercial vehicle compliance and highway safety. After graduation, probationary troopers & CVE officers must complete field training under the supervision of a training trooper/officer at their assigned post or region. Officers with the KSP Facilities Security Branch must meet the requirements for and receive a Special Law Enforcement Officer commission under KRS 61.900-930 as well as undergo specialized training, including firearms training. KSP telecommunicators must complete a six-week training program at the KSP Academy.
The KSP operates the state's system of regional crime labs. In addition, the KSP Facilities Security Branch, along with specially assigned state troopers, is responsible for protecting the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, members of the Kentucky General Assembly and state property, including the Kentucky State Capitol Complex.
On July 14, 2008, the Kentucky Vehicle Enforcement department, which is responsible for commercial vehicle enforcement, became an operational division of the KSP.
The department also operates Trooper Island Camp, a juvenile crime prevention program at Dale Hollow Lake State Park.
On February 15, 2017, Commissioner Rick Sanders announced the formation of the Critical Incident Response Team. Experienced KSP detectives from throughout the Commonwealth were chosen to investigate Officer Involved Shootings as well as Critical Incidents that involved Police or Corrections agencies.

Structure

2006

Since the establishment of the Kentucky State Police, 28 troopers and 1 commercial vehicle enforcement officer have died while on duty. In addition, six Kentucky Highway Patrol officers died prior to the establishment of the KSP.
RankNameDate of DeathCause of DeathAgeLocation
TrooperHarold J. Toll11-14-1948Killed in a car crash while en route to an assistance call34Anderson County, Kentucky
TrooperRobert Ranaker Miller02-14-1951Killed in a car crash while en route to an assistance call23Boone County, Kentucky
TrooperLee Trebu Huffman05-19-1953Struck and killed after exiting his vehicle to render aid to car crash victims27Hardin County, Kentucky
TrooperHerbert C. Bush10-11-1958Killed in a car crash while chasing a suspect27Lincoln County, Kentucky
TrooperWilliam Everett Tevis05-26-1963Shot and killed while off-duty and riding with another Trooper; they arrested a husband and wife, the wife then slipped her husband a pistol and he shot Tevis26N/A
TrooperCecil Walter Uzzle05-28-1964Killed along with Trooper Elmer Mobley, Jr. when they hit large rocks in the roadway from a rockslide while en route to a call during heavy fog and rain28Pike County, Kentucky
TrooperElmer Mobley, Jr.05-28-1964Killed along with Trooper Cecil Walter Uzzle when they hit large rocks in the roadway from a rockslide while en route to a call during heavy fog and rain33Pike County, Kentucky
TrooperDelano G. Powell07-08-1965Shot and killed after responding to a man shooting a shotgun at a residence; the man shot him as he got out of the car and wounded another Trooper and Breathitt County Deputy28Breathitt County, Kentucky
TrooperMack Edward Brady11-09-1966Killed after being hit head-on by a car in his lane while en route to an assistance call40Henderson County, Kentucky
TrooperWilliam Harrel Barrett12-19-1971Shot and killed by ambush after arriving at his house at the end of his shift35Morehead Trailer Park off Russellville Road in Rockfield, Kentucky
TrooperJames Willard McNeely04-08-1972Killed along with Kentucky Water Patrol Officer David Childs while searching for 2 juveniles in a flood; they drowned after their boat went over a dam37Kentucky River in Frankfort, Kentucky
TrooperWalter Orville Thurtell11-29-1972Killed in a car crash while responding to an assistance call42Logan County, Kentucky
TrooperJoe Ward, Jr.04-23-1973Struck and killed by another car while working a crash scene during foggy conditions25Hopkins County, Kentucky
LieutenantWilliam Carter Smith04-26-1973Died from gunshot injuries sustained on 11-10-1972 while trying to arrest a murder suspect45Warren County, Kentucky
TrooperJohn Wayne Hutchinson06-04-1975Shot and killed while attempting to make an arrest29McCreary County, Kentucky
TrooperBobby Allen McCoun, Jr.11-01-1975Accidentally shot and killed by a fellow Trooper23Pikeville City Jail
TrooperWilliam Francis Pickard01-21-1976Shot and killed while serving a warrant with Hodgensville PD26LaRue County, Kentucky
LieutenantWillis Durwood Martin04-26-1977Killed after his patrol car was struck by a drunk driver44N/A
TrooperClinton Eugene "Clint" Cunningham02-11-1979Shot and killed by an ambush while investigating a burglary29Franklin County, Kentucky
TrooperEdward Ray Harris11-07-1979Shot and killed while attempting to make an arrest29LaRue County, Kentucky
TrooperJerome Scott "Butch" Clifton10-01-1980Died from a gunshot wound to the leg sustained 2 weeks earlier on 11-19-1980 while saving hostages from a gunman30Pike County, Kentucky
DetectiveDarrell Vendl Phelps08-07-1981Shot and killed while he and another officer moved through a marijuana field34Edmondson County, Kentucky
TrooperJohnny Montague Edrington12-21-1988Shot and killed with his own pistol while on a traffic stop34On Highway 80, approx. 7 miles west of London, Kentucky
TrooperJohnny Gordon Adkins11-24-1995Suffered a heart attack while arresting a suspect on 11-21-1995; he went to a doctor for a checkup and was told he was healthy enough to work, but suffered a fatal one on 11-24-1995 while responding to a domestic disturbance call37N/A
Commercial Vehicle Enforcement OfficerJason Wayne Cammack04-23-2000Killed in a single vehicle accident while crossing the interstate median and hitting a stone wall during a pursuit26On I-64 in Woodford County, Kentucky
TrooperJonathan Kyle Leonard12-19-2006Killed in a car crash on U.S. 119 while responding to a domestic disturbance call28Pike County, Kentucky
TrooperAnson Blake Tribby01-22-2013Killed after arriving on scene of a vehicle fire and rear-ending a tow truck25On I-64 near Winchester, Kentucky
TrooperEric Keith Chrisman06-23-2015Killed while responding to a reckless driver call; he took a turn too fast and hit a tractor trailer head-on23On U.S. Route 64 near the Tennessee River Bridge in Livingston County
SergeantDavid Ray Gibbs08-07-2015Killed when his car crossed the center line during the rain and hit a car head-on; he was en route to escort his grandmother's funeral42On Highway 210 near Buffalo, Kentucky
TrooperJoseph Cameron Ponder11-13-2015Shot and killed after a 9-mile pursuit, The subject shot At Trooper Ponder During the pursuit causing them to crash. The subject was later shot and killed after an hours long manhunt in the wooded areas near by.31On I-24 near Lamasco, Kentucky