Hickory, KY (May 14, 2019) – 20 Kentucky State Police telecommunicators from throughout the commonwealth were recognized on May 10, 2019 at graduation ceremonies for the 14th class of the agency’s in-house Telecommunications Academy, in Frankfort, KY.
“Across the state, KSP telecommunicators provide a lifeline to both citizens in need and officers in the field,” says KSP Commissioner Rick Sanders. “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 11 agency posts, the group began its studies on April 8, 2019 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 telecommunicators authority, the telecommunicators 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.
KSP Post 1 graduates of the 14th KSP Telecommunications Academy included:
Amanda Curnell of Henry County. Amanda is a graduate of Lake Weir High School. She is the daughter of Steve and Sandra Rohr.
Dylan Craven of Graves County. Dylan is a graduate of Graves County High School. He is the son of Debbie and Chris Craven.
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.”