Kentucky State Police Youth Academy graduates 36 students
FOX23 News at 9 p.m
KENTUCKY (KBSI) – Gov. Andy Beshear announced Thursday that 36 Kentucky teenagers graduated from the third annual Kentucky State Police Youth Academy, a weeklong program designed to introduce participants to careers in law enforcement.
The academy, held June 28 through July 2, gives 16- and 17-year-olds the opportunity to work alongside state troopers while learning leadership skills, physical fitness standards and law enforcement principles.
Participants completed team-building exercises, explored ethics and core values, observed forensic demonstrations from the Kentucky State Police Crime Lab and received instruction in criminal investigations and crime scene analysis.
“Our Youth Academy program is far more than a typical summer camp experience,” KSP Commissioner Phillip Burnett Jr. said in a statement. “Through this program, participants gain firsthand insight into the many career opportunities within law enforcement.”
The program began in 2024 and has graduated 87 students since its launch.
Several recruits received special recognition during the graduation ceremony:
- Trooper’s Award: Grayson Driskell of Lawrenceburg
- Leadership Award: Kira Conley of Winchester
- Ted Bassett Perseverance Award: Allison Hooley of Louisa
The academy included six returning second-year recruits and 30 first-year recruits from communities across Kentucky.
The governor’s office also highlighted recent public safety initiatives, including a second consecutive annual decline in serious crime across the commonwealth. According to the 2025 Crime in Kentucky Report, reports of serious crime fell 8.14% from 2024 to 2025.
Since Beshear took office, more than 2,700 law enforcement officers have graduated from Kentucky training academies, including 307 graduates from the Kentucky State Police Training Academy and 1,837 graduates from the Department of Criminal Justice Training’s Basic Training Course.
The administration also highlighted ongoing investments in law enforcement training facilities, including a new Department of Criminal Justice Training campus in Madisonville and a new driver’s skills training pad at the Kentucky State Police Training Academy in Frankfort.
