The Kentucky State Police Telecommunications Academy Class No. 7 graduated on October 22, 2015. The class included (left to right): Megan Patrick (KSP Post 14-Ashland), Ryan Benton (KSP Post 8-Morehead), Kris Cox (KSP Post 8-Morehead), Kimberly Crase (KSP Post 8-Morehead), Merissa Breedlove (KSP Post 1-Mayfield), Katelyn Roy (KSP Post 6-Dry Ridge), Tammy Crady (KSP Post 12-Frankfort) and Chris Cornett (KSP Post 12-Frankfort).
(FRANKFORT, Ky.)— Eight Kentucky State Police telecommunicators from throughout the commonwealth were recognized yesterday at graduation ceremonies for the seventh class of the agency’s in-house Telecommunications Academy.
“Across the state, KSP telecommunicators provide a lifeline to both citizens in need and officers in the field,” says KSP Commissioner Rodney Brewer. “They serve as an unseen, but vital link in keeping law enforcement officers and the public safe at all times of the day or night.”
Representing five agency posts, the group began its studies on September 14, 2015 at the KSP Training Academy in Frankfort. The course provided 236 hours of instruction during a six-week period. The curriculum included subjects such as: legal liability, limits of telecommunicator authority, the telecommunicator’s role in public safety, interpersonal communications, customer service, interaction with the news media, stress, ethics and confidentiality, responder safety, basic fire dispatch, state emergency operations plans, criminal justice information systems, cardio pulmonary resuscitation, first aid training, emergency medical dispatch and special needs callers.
The final week of the academy included training on computer-aided dispatch and other databases. To complete the course, the telecommunicators 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 service.
The graduates of the seventh KSP Telecommunications Academy included:
Merissa Breedlove, Post 1, Mayfield
Katelyn Roy, Post 6, Dry Ridge
Ryan Benton, Post 8, Morehead
Kris Cox, Post 8, Morehead
Kimberly Crase, Post 8, Morehead
Chris Cornett, Post 12, Frankfort
Tammy Crady, Post 12, Frankfort
Megan Patrick, Post 14, Ashland
Chris Cornett of Post 12-Frankfort was the class valedictorian with an overall grade point average of 96 percent.
According to Jason Long, Law Enforcement Training Instructor at the Kentucky State Police Academy, working in today’s emergency services communications center requires a number of qualities and characteristics that are absolutely imperative including:
●the ability to handle very stressful, challenging conditions
●flexible work schedules
●empathy in dealing with others
●the ability to learn and adapt, especially in areas of technology.
His advice to those who may be considering the field as a career? “You need to think hard about whether you are willing to make the sacrifices you have to make. You have to spend time away from your family. You have to work weekends and holidays. With all the continuing training required, there is a big investment of time and you need to be sure you can make the commitment.”
“To be honest, it’s not a job for everyone,” he says. “It is stressful and challenging and some people simply can’t deal with the types of calls and deadly incidents that we have to handle.”
To watch a short video about KSP Telecommunicators, click on the following link:
.be or visit www.kentuckystatepolice .org
