NEWS RELEASE
RICHMOND, Ky. (August 15, 2016) – Twenty-four law enforcement dispatchers graduated Friday from the Public Safety Dispatch Academy at the Kentucky Department of Criminal Justice Training (DOCJT).
The graduates hail from communications centers across the state and comprise DOCJT’s 107th telecommunications academy class, which first began in 1999.
The five weeks of training consisted of 205 hours of academy instruction to satisfy mandated training requirements. Major training areas included identifying the role and responsibilities of the dispatcher, correct phone and radio procedures, handling emergency and non-emergency calls for service, emergency medical dispatch protocols and use of the state and national criminal databases.
Dispatch basic training is mandatory for any sworn or civilian employee who will dispatch law enforcement officers by radio at a Criminal Justice Information Systems agency.
Public Safety Dispatch Class No. 107 became only the third class to earn the title of Class of Distinction. To receive the honor, a class must have an average GPA of 95 percent or above, no failures or retests and no disciplinary action above a verbal warning. Additionally, 16 students were honored individually as Trainees of Distinction.
DOCJT also provides in-service and leadership training for Kentucky public safety dispatchers and law enforcement officers.
DOCJT is a state agency located on Eastern Kentucky University’s campus. The agency is the first in the nation to be accredited under the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies’ public safety training program designation. DOCJT also earned accredited through the International Association for Continuing Education and Training in 2013 – making it the nation’s only law enforcement training academy to achieve dual accreditation by two independent accrediting organizations.
Class 107** graduates and their agencies are:
*Sarah Alexander, Boone County PSCC
A’Lia Marie Baker, Boone County PSCC
*David R. Bullock, Jr., Ohio County Sheriff’s Office
*Hannah B. Campbell, Fayette County Sheriff’s Office
*Krystyn Ora Church, Owensboro/Daviess County Dispatch
Adam C. Evans, Bell County Dispatch
*Kathryn George, Owensboro/Daviess County Dispatch
*Wilbur W. Gross, Cynthiana/Harrison County E-911
*Jessica Lynn Jones, McCreary County E-911
*Lori T. Mayfield, Pulaski County 911
*Katie Morris, Hopkinsville Police Department
Stephanie Neace, Cynthiana/Harrison County E-911
*Christian Drake Nelson, Blue Grass Airport Police Department
Brentley L. Patrick, Whitley County E-911
*Ashley Rahn, Pennyrile Emergency 911
*Sean Ryan Reardon, Bluegrass 911 Communications
*Jennifer Lynn Slagle, Madison County E-911
Dreama Southern, Winchester Police Department
Joseph C. Strunk, McCreary County E-911
*Carlie B. Taylor, Scottsville P.D./Allen County 911
*Megan Terry, Madison County E-911
*Abby N. Thomas, Boyd County PSCC 911
Angelica Thomas, Madison County E-911
Rhonda Thomas, Lebanon Police Department
*Denotes Trainees of Distinction
