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)
The Department of Criminal Justice Training 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 accreditation through the International Association for Continuing Education and Training in 2013.
Class 508 graduates and their agencies are:
Brandon H. Bertram
Monticello Police Department
(Most Improved Award for Physical Fitness and Defensive Tactics)
Clay D. Booth
Daviess County Sheriff’s Office
(Firearms Proficiency Award)
James S. Brace
Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife
Sara A. Coffman
Greensburg Police Department
Jordan A. Donithan
Henderson Police Department
Jacob D. Gould
Daviess County Sheriff’s Office
(Outstanding Performance Award for
Physical Fitness and Educating Heroes Graduate)
Christopher T. Gunther
Madisonville Police Department
(Coordinator’s Award)
Hunter S. House
Anderson County Sheriff’s Office
Jeffery Hunter
Kentucky State University Police Department
William Z. Johnson
Greensburg Police Department
(Firearms Proficiency Award)
William J. Johnston
Frankfort Police Department
Kevin D. Lang Jr.
Owensboro Police Department
Robin D. Martinez
Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife
Quincy A. Morris
Madisonville Police Department
(Firearms Proficiency Award)
James A. Neyhouse
Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife
(Academic Achievement Award and Recruit of Distinction)
Tory M. Parrish
Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife
Miranda L. Perry
Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife
Michael J. Pritchard
Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife
(Recruit of Distinction)
Brandon J. Purnell
Franklin County Sheriff’s Office
(Educating Heroes Graduate)
Dakota T. Rakes
Danville Police Department
Kenneth R. Rideout III
Owensboro Police Department
Jacoby S. Scharklet
Franklin Police Department
Glen J. Shortt
Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife
Mason S. Stamm
Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife
(Firearms Proficiency Award and Recruit of Distinction)
Gabriel J. Suthoff
Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife
Zakery Vance
Barren County Sheriff’s Office
Mason A. Wickham
Madisonville Police Department
Nathan T. Wildharber
Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife
Douglas M. Wolking
Independence Police Department
Kyle W. Yearsley
Paris Police Department
Austin Z. Young
Madisonville Police Department
