A Safe Place with State School Security Marshal Ben Wilcox

In this episode of Bluegrass Beat, State School Security Marshal Ben Wilcox discusses his office’s recent report and keeping Kentucky kids safe while learning.

View the school safety report here.

Read more about the Office of the State School Security Marshal here.


About Our Guest

Ben Wilcox, Kentucky State School Security Marshal

Ben Wilcox began his career at the Department of Criminal Justice Training in 2004 and currently serves as the State School Security Marshal, an office created in 2019 after the passage of the School Safety and Resiliency Act.

He was most recently the Instructional Design section supervisor, where he was responsible for all testing, curriculum, lesson plans and instructional material at the agency. Prior to that, Wilcox worked as an instructor in the Driving, Firearms and Coordination sections.

Before coming to DOCJT, Wilcox spent six years with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office as a deputy and school resource officer working with students in kindergarten through 12th grade.

During his law enforcement career, Wilcox served as the President of the EKU Association of Law Enforcement from 1997-1998, was honored with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office Deputy of the Year award in 2001, and was nominated for DOCJT’s Instructor of the Year award in 2009 and 2014.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in police administration and a master’s degree in career and technical education, with a concentration in occupational training and development, both from Eastern Kentucky University.

Wilcox and his wife Angie have two daughters, Alexandria and Addison.


The Bluegrass Beat is recorded and produced by the Kentucky Department of Criminal Justice Training’s Public Information Office, a proud member of Team Kentucky.

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Have a suggestion? Email host Critley King-Smith at critley.kingsmith@ky.gov to share feedback.

Music by Digital Juice and StackTraxx.


Critley King-Smith