FRANKFORT, Ky. - On Friday Oct. 28, 2016 the Kentucky State Police Academy presented diplomas to 39 new troopers at ceremonies held in Frankfort. Their addition to the force brings the agency’s strength to a total of 911 troopers serving the citizens of the Commonwealth.
“I am pleased to welcome these 39 new troopers,” said KSP Commissioner Rick Sanders. “It’s been a long, hard road and they have paid their dues. They have earned that patch and that badge.”
“Twenty-first century policing is a tough job,” he added. “These men and women have prepared to go out and be the best of the best as guardians of their communities.”
The new troopers are part of the agency’s 94th cadet class. They reported for duty on May 22, 2016 in a class that consisted of 66 cadets. Twenty-seven resigned during the rigorous 23-week training cycle that followed. Six women started the program and four completed the training.
The training included more than 1,000 hours of classroom and field study in subjects such as constitutional law, juvenile and traffic law, use of force, weapons training, defensive tactics, first aid, high speed vehicle pursuit, criminal investigation, computer literacy, hostage negotiations, evidence collection, radio procedures, search and seizure, crash investigation, drug identification, traffic control, crowd control, armed robbery response, land navigation, electronic crimes, sex crimes, hate crimes, domestic violence, bomb threats and hazardous materials.
Several members of the class earned special recognitions including valedictorian Sarah Burgess, of Lexington, Ky., and salutatorian Joseph Kenny, of New Castle, Ky.
William Pope, of Harlan, Ky., received the Ernie Bivens Award, an honor presented to the cadet 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.
Nicholas Brumback, of McKee, Ky., received the Commissioner’s Commitment to Excellence Award, which is presented to cadets who demonstrate leadership, the desire to get the job done and the determination to be the best every day.
Jeremey Hamilton, of Danville, Ky., received the Overall Fitness Award.
Three of the new troopers are from London. Lexington, Harlan and Stanford are each represented by two new troopers.
The following is a list of the new troopers, their duty assignments and their hometowns or residences:
Post 1, Mayfield
Sarah Burgess, Lexington
Scott DeShields, Murray
Nathaniel Day, Taylor, Mich.
Post 2, Madisonville
Justin Cornett, Somerset
John Eilert, Fort Campbell
Jacob Stephens, Brunswick, Ohio
Post 3, Bowling Green
Darren Lowe, Middlesboro
Courtney Milam, Lawrenceburg
Michael Waggener, Columbia
Post 4, Elizabethtown
Vincent Hazelwood, Lexington
Ethan Whitlock, Elizabethtown
Post 5, Campbellsburg
Joshua Housley, Finchville
Jacob Middleton, Harlan
Jamie Smith, London
Tyler Stevens, Debord
Gavin Sullivan, Shelbyville
Kyle Trosper, Corbin
Post 6, Dry Ridge
Gary Cooper, Stanford
Joseph Kenny, New Castle
Michael Reichenbach, Stanford
Post 7, Richmond
Nicholas Brumback, ![]()
McKee
Wendell Hunter, Scottsburg
John O’Dea III, Richmond
Post 8, Morehead
Harley Catron, Mt. Sterling
Kris Cox, Morehead
Matthew Day, Krypton
Logan Gay, London
Justis Hensley, Salyersville
Tyler Smith, Whitesburg
Justin Wagner, Wallingford
Post 9, Pikeville
Joseph Coleman, Fedscreek
William Pope, Harlan
Post 13, Hazard
Houston Lewis, London
Branden Watts, Baxter
Post 14, Ashland
Joshua Collett, Wooten
Tyler Daniels, Beaver
Post 16, Henderson
Joseph Buckman, Uniontown
Jeremey Hamilton, Danville
Joseph Hensley, Loyall
Each new trooper will be supervised by a training officer for six to eight weeks after reporting to their post assignments.
