Gov. Beshear, Department of Criminal Justice Training Announce 19 Officers Graduate from Kentucky Criminalistics Academy – Crime Scene Technician Course
On Friday, May 10, Gov. Andy Beshear and the Department of Criminal Justice Training (DOCJT) announced that 19 crime scene investigators (CSIs) from across the commonwealth have graduated from the 2024 Kentucky Criminalistics Academy (KCA) Crime Scene Technician Course Class 8.
“Each day, as you put on your badge, you go above and beyond to protect your fellow Kentuckians, and by completing the Kentucky Criminalistics Academy, you have gone even further, and the commonwealth is forever grateful,” said Gov. Beshear. “You have now adopted vital skills that will further enhance the safety of your communities, creating a better, safer Kentucky for all.”
KCA consists of two five-week, 200-hour courses that DOCJT instructors developed for full-time and newly appointed CSIs and patrol officers who serve as CSIs for their agencies. KCA is also open to civilian CSIs who work for law enforcement agencies.
“The successful completion of the crime-scene investigation academy reflects your dedication to the law enforcement profession,” DOCJT Commissioner Nicolai Jilek said. “Your communities and the state are safer because of your efforts. I wish you nothing but continued success in your careers.”
The entire KCA certification includes training in:
Digital photography;
Advanced latent print development;
Evidence collection and documentation;
Latent fingerprint recognition and identification;
Shooting scene reconstruction;
Bloodstain pattern recognition and documentation;
Post blast investigation;
Forensic mapping;
Computer crimes investigations; and
Forensic anthropological recovery course.
The KCA Class No. 8 graduates and their agencies are:
Jonathan Bentley
Frankfort Police Department
Ashton Forlines
Louisville Metro Police Department
Travis N. Frank
Franklin Police Department
Steve Holmstrom
Erlanger Police Department
Douglas E. Holt
Campbell County Police Department
Chase Kirk
Boyd County Sheriff’s Office
Andrew Lucas
Villa Hills Police Department
Paul Megilligan
Danville Police Department
Brett K. Mullins
Lakeside Park/Crestview Hills Police Department
Robert G. Oney
Harrodsburg Police Department
Matt Parmley
Kentucky State Police Post 11
Matthew Poore
Bowling Green Police Department
Robert B. Reed
Laurel County Sheriff’s Office
Shane Southwood
Kentucky Department of Criminal Justice Training
Jason Vance
Hardin County Sheriff’s Office
Jordan Walters
Somerset Police Department
Jason P. Warinner
Kentucky State Police Post 3
Michael D. Weatherford
Murray Police Department
Shawn Young
Trigg County Sheriff’s Office
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 re-accreditation through the International Association for Continuing Education and Training in 2018.
Beshear-Coleman Administration Commitment to Making Kentucky a National Leader in Public Safety
The Beshear-Coleman administration’s top priority is the safety of all Kentuckians. The Governor's public safety actions are creating safer communities and a better Kentucky.
In December 2023, the Governor proposed a $500 increase to the law enforcement annual training stipend, but the General Assembly chose to provide a combined $262 increase over the next two years. The budget signed by the Governor raises the training stipend to an all-time high of $4,562 by fiscal year 2026. Additionally, the Governor is providing part-time law enforcement officers an annual training stipend for the first time in the history of the commonwealth.
Since taking office, Gov. Beshear has awarded more than $10 million in grant funding to assist state and local law enforcement agencies in purchasing the tools and resources that will not only allow them to protect Kentucky communities but will also ensure their safety as they stand on the front lines every day. In August, the administration awarded $2.1 million in grant funding to enhance public safety, curb the sale of illegal drugs and fight addiction.
In July 2023, Gov. Beshear broke ground in Richmond on a new law enforcement training facility named in honor of Jody Cash, who lost his life in the line of duty May 16, 2022, while serving as chief deputy of the Calloway County Sheriff’s Department. Members of the Cash family, as well as state and local officials and staff from the DOCJT, joined the Governor in taking a step forward to enhance the safety of Kentucky’s nearly 8,000 peace officers who risk their lives every day to protect Kentucky families.
In June 2022, Gov. Beshear announced the Military to Law Enforcement Program (M-2-LE). M-2-LE allows local law enforcement agencies in Kentucky to hire active service members within all U.S. military branches during their last 180 days of service. Upon being contracted by a law enforcement agency, the military member will continue to receive their pay and benefits from the U.S. Military while they undergo law enforcement training at the Department of Criminal Justice Training.
