Thirty-two law enforcement officers from agencies across the state have graduated from the Kentucky Department of Criminal Justice Training’s (DOCJT) basic training academy, including two from Northern Kentucky.
These law enforcement officers now will return home to serve and protect the commonwealth and create safer communities.
“Congratulations to these graduates, who have dedicated themselves to 20 weeks of extensive basic training,” said Gov. Beshear. “Our commonwealth is a better, safer place because these individuals have answered the call to service. Thank you for protecting your communities and our children’s futures.”
DOCJT is committed to providing officers with best practices, the latest technology training and legal information to protect the diverse communities they serve. The graduates of Class 552 received more than 800 hours of recruit-level instruction over 20 weeks. Major training areas included patrol procedures, physical training, vehicle operations, defensive tactics, criminal law, traffic and DUI, firearms, criminal investigations, cultural awareness, bias-related crimes and tactical responses to crisis situations.
Since December 2019, 1,585 officers have graduated from the basic training academy.
The 32 graduating law enforcement officers will begin working with the Commonwealth’s 8,000 other officers to create a commonwealth that is safer for all Kentuckians now and into the future.
Class 552 graduates and their agencies are:
Matt S. Archer, McCracken County Sheriff’s Office
Arnold W. Arnett, Mt. Vernon Police Department
Joel Baker, Grayson County Sheriff’s Office
Justin Barrera, Northern Kentucky University Police Department
Emily Branham, Morehead Police Department
Aaron T. Capshaw, Tompkinsville Police Department
Kendall Catron, Russell Springs Police Department
Talon Cole, Calloway County Sheriff’s Office
Cole Cordle, Grayson Police Department
Noah J. Dishman, Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office
Devon Evans, Marshall County Sheriff’s Office
Jimmy Foster, Somerset Police Department
Nikkolas Gillespie, Georgetown Police Department
Tristan Hines, Somerset Police Department
Carl Kern, Simpson County Sheriff’s Office
Jessica P. Maynard, Prestonsburg Police Department
Collin R. Morris, Meade County Sheriff’s Office
William Mulder, Paris Police Department
Lauren Muntz, Danville Police Department
Hunter Perdue, Burkesville Police Department
Justin Pressley, Murray State University Police Department
Elliott Rayens, Anderson County Sheriff’s Office
Coulter Reams, Somerset Police Department
Anthony Salerno, Breckinridge County Sheriff’s Office
Ryan Spinda, Worthington Police Department
Alexander Stratman, Georgetown Police Department
Matthew Tarkey, Simpson County Sheriff’s Office
Benjamin Tipton, Madison County Sheriff’s Office
Keith Wagner, Florence Police Department
Marcus Walling, Georgetown Police Department
Ryan West, Madison County Sheriff’s Office
Bryan O’Neal Wilmot, Garrard County Sheriff’s Office
DOCJT provides basic training for city and county police officers, sheriffs’ deputies, university police and airport police throughout the state, only excluding the Louisville Metro Police Department, Lexington Police Department, Bowling Green Police Department and the Kentucky State Police, each of which have independent academies.