DOCJT Basic Training Class 508 Graduates

Thirty-one law enforcement officers from agencies across the state graduated Thursday, February 27, 2020, from basic training at the Kentucky Department of Criminal Justice Training.

The graduates of Class 508 completed 20 weeks of training, which consisted of 800 hours of recruit-level instruction. Major training areas included law offenses and procedures, vehicle operations, firearms, investigations, first aid and CPR, patrol procedures, orientation for new law enforcement families and the mechanics of arrest, restraint and control.

Basic training is mandatory for Kentucky law enforcement officers to comply with the state’s Peace Officer Professional Standards Act of 1998. The Department of Criminal Justice Training provides basic training for city and county police officers, sheriffs’ deputies, university police, airport police and others.

The agency also provides in-service and leadership training for Kentucky law enforcement officers and public safety dispatch training.

This marks the first class with Educating Heroes graduates. Recruits participating in the program earned 45 college credit hours for completing the Basic Training Academy, and additionally completed 15 college credit hours to earn an Applied Science associate’s degree. Degrees are earned online through a partnership with Bluegrass Community and Technical College.

Deputy Jacob Gould, Daviess County Sheriff’s Office, and Deputy Brandon Purnell, Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, graduated Thursday, Feb. 27 as the first recruits to complete the Educating Heroes program. (Photo by Jim Robertson)