Abbreviation KSP Employees 1,713 (as of 2004) | Formed 1948 | |
Preceding agency Kentucky Highway Patrol Legal personality Governmental: Government agency Operations jurisdiction* Commonwealth of Kentucky, USA | ||
The Kentucky State Police (KSP) 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 (with the exception of sworn Commercial Vehicle Enforcement and Facilities Security Branch personnel, both of which hold the title and are addressed as Officer) and its nickname is The Thin Gray Line.
Contents
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 an outgrowth of 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.
Vehicles
The Kentucky State Police use a variety of police cruisers and patrol vehicles. The current fleet consists of:
The CVPI currently serves as the primary KSP fleet vehicle. Due to Ford's discontinuation of the CVPI in 2011 and as the CVPI fleet is retired, the Caprice & the Charger will become the primary road and patrol fleet vehicle for troopers. The KSP Division of Commercial Vehicle Enforcement will switch to Chevrolet Tahoes, Ford Explorer Police Interceptor SSV's, and Chevrolet Caprice PPV's as they retire their CVPI's . The KSP Facilities Security Branch will replace their CVPI's with Ford Taurus-based Police Interceptors.
Sidearm
Troopers are currently issued the Glock Model 35 .40 S&W semi-automatic pistol. Prior to the Glock Model 35 troopers carried the 10mm Smith & Wesson Model 1006 (Model 1076 was used).
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 on Coffee Tree Road in Frankfort. Cadets training to become troopers undergo a 48 -week, paramilitary-style training program. Sworn Commercial Vehicle Enforcement officers undergo a 26-week training program at the KSP Academy that includes 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 (troopers) or region (CVE officers). Officers with the KSP Facilities Security Branch must meet the requirements for and receive a Special Law Enforcement Officer (SLEO) commission under KRS 61.900-930 as well as undergo specialized training, including firearms training. KSP telecommunicators (dispatchers) must complete a five-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.
Structure
Demographics
Fallen officers
Since the establishment of the Kentucky State Police, 28 troopers and 1 commercial vehicle enforcement officer (who was killed prior to CVE's merger with KSP) have died in the line of duty. In addition, 6 Kentucky Highway Patrol officers died in the line of duty prior to the establishment of the KSP.
+ indicates an officer with the Kentucky Highway Patrol
++ indicates a Commercial Vehicle Enforcement officer