Gov. Beshear, KSP announce telecommunications academy graduates

FRANKFORT, Ky. — Gov. Andy Beshear and the Kentucky State Police announced the graduation of six people from the KSP Telecommunications Academy Friday.

The graduates of class 20 received 160 hours of instruction over four weeks, according to a release by KSP. Major training areas include legal liability, limits of telecommunicator authority, telecommunicator’s role in public safety, interpersonal communications, customer service, combating stress, 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.

“Congratulations to our recent graduates from the KSP Telecommunications Academy,” said Beshear. “The skills and experience gained through this training make you the hero behind the headset that our citizens need and deserve. We thank you for serving to create a better and safer Kentucky.”

KSP stated that graduates were required to successfully process scripted calls for service and demonstrate the proper ability to obtain important information, dispatching responders, providing emergency medical dispatch if needed and correctly documenting information from the call for assistance.

The training was completed with a computer simulation system that simulates their work environment in the radio room.

“Telecommunicators are vital to emergency services and serve as a lifeline for the public and law enforcement officers,” said KSP Telecommunications Training Instructor Jason Long. “They are the first responders to any incident and provide lifesaving information at any moment.”

Class 20 graduates and their assigned posts include the following: Hannah Whitney, Post 2, Madisonville; Madison Pils, Post 4, Elizabethtown; Elijah Patterson, Post 6, Dry Ridge; Pattie Taylor, Post 7, Richmond; Rebecca Rogers, Post 7, Richmond; Ashley Blair, Post 9, Pikeville.

In addition, the Charlotte Tanner Valedictorian Award was 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 worked more than 50 years as a telecommunicator, radio room supervisor and instructor.

This year’s Charlotte Tanner Valedictorian Award has been awarded to Hannah Whitney and Elijah Patterson, with a grade point average of 98.3%.

If you would like to apply for a telecommunicator position with KSP, visit kentuckystatepolice.org/careers, or contact the KSP post nearest to you for more information.