KSP Telecommunication Academy News
Kentucky State Police Class 18 Graduates Telecommunications Academy
Kentucky State Police Telecommunications Academy Class 18. (Photo provided)
Gov. Andy Beshear and KSP announced that 16 telecommunicators representing 11 posts located throughout the commonwealth have graduated KSP’s in-house telecommunications academy.
“Today’s telecommunicator graduates will be hearing from our community members, often on the worst days of their lives.
Whether that caller is experiencing a personal trauma, or during the illness, injury or loss of a loved one, I know our newest telecommunicators will work hard to be a calm voice amidst chaos, providing comfort and instruction until help arrives,” said Gov. Beshear. “To all of you who graduate today and join Team Kentucky, thank you. Kentucky will be safer because of your service and dedication.”
Present-day emergency services communication centers require several qualities and characteristics that are imperative, including the ability to handle high stress, challenging conditions; flexible work schedules; empathy toward others and the ability to learn and adapt, especially in areas of technology.
The graduates of Class 18 received 196 hours of instruction over five weeks. 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, essential fire dispatch, state emergency operations plans, criminal justice information systems, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, first aid training, emergency medical dispatch and special needs callers.
During the academy, gradutes were required to successfully process scripted calls for service and demonstrate proficiency in obtaining pertinent information, dispatching responders, providing emergency medical dispatch if needed and correctly documenting information from the call for assistance. The training concluded with a computer simulation system that simulates a real-life work environment in the radio room.
"Across the state, KSP telecommunicators provide a lifeline to both citizens in need and responders in the field," says Jason Long, KSP Telecommunications Training Instructor. "They serve as an unseen but vital link in keeping law enforcement officers, responder, and the public safe at all times, day or night."
Class 18 graduates and their assigned posts are:
Ashley Holt
Post 1, Mayfield
Emily Wallace
Post 1, Mayfield
Lauren Hanner
Post 3, Bowling Green
Jade Puckett
Post 3, Bowling Green
Erin Benton
Post 5, Campbellsburg
Josiah Turner
Post 6, Dry Ridge
Michael Powers
Post 7, Richmond
Lauren Webb
Post 7, Richmond
Tabor Wright
Post 8, Morehead
Carrigan Rowe
Post 9, Pikeville
Abilene Steward
Post 12, Frankfort
Alden Bowling
Post 13, Hazard
Maribeth Housey
Post 14, Ashland
Abigale Morgan
Post 15, Columbia
Sydney Perkins
Post 15, Columbia
Shawna Hannie
Post 15, Columbia
At the conclusion of each class, the 'Charlotte Tanner Valedictorian' Award is 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 served the commonwealth for more than 50 years as a telecommunicator, radio room supervisor and instructor.
Presentation of the 'Charlotte Tanner Valedictorian' Award to Abigale Morgan (left) and Shawna Hannie (right). (Photo provided)
This year’s Charlotte Tanner Valedictorian Award has been awarded to Shawna Hannie and Abigale Morgan, who will share the honor of valedictorian with grade point averages of 98.25%.
To apply for a telecommunicator position with KSP, click here, or contact the KSP post nearest you for more information.
KSP’s focus this year is to maintain and strengthen its essential workforce in order to better provide public safety, maintain critical services and better reflect the diverse communities that KSP serves.