Area residents among latest KSP dispatcher graduates

FRANKFORT, Ky. (WTVQ) – Gov. Andy Beshear and the Kentucky State Police announced that 16 telecommunicators representing 11 posts located throughout

(from l. to r.), KSP Commissioner Phillip Burnett, Jr., Abigale Morgan, Shawna Hanee, and Telecommunications Academy Instructor Jason Long.

the commonwealth have graduated KSP’s in-house telecommunications academy.

“Today’s telecommunicator graduates will be hearing from our community members, often on the worst days of their lives. Whether that caller is experiencing a personal trauma, or during the illness, injury or loss of a loved one, I know our newest telecommunicators will work hard to be a calm voice amidst chaos, providing comfort and instruction until help arrives,” said Gov. Beshear. “To all of you who graduate today and join Team Kentucky, thank you. Kentucky will be safer because of your service and dedication.”

Present-day emergency services communication centers require several qualities and characteristics that are imperative, including the ability to handle high stress, challenging conditions; flexible work schedules; empathy toward others and the ability to learn and adapt, especially in areas of technology.

The graduates of Class 18 received 196 hours of instruction over five weeks. Major training areas include legal liability, limits of telecommunicator authority, telecommunicator’s role in public safety, interpersonal communications, customer service, combating stress, ethics and confidentiality, responder safety, essential fire dispatch, state emergency operations plans, criminal justice information systems, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, first aid training, emergency medical dispatch and special needs callers.

During the academy, gradutes 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 assistance. The training concluded with a computer simulation system that simulates a real-life work environment in the radio room.

“Across the state, KSP telecommunicators provide a lifeline to both citizens in need and responders in the field,” says Jason Long, KSP Telecommunications Training Instructor. “They serve as an unseen but vital link in keeping law enforcement officers, responder, and the public safe at all times, day or night.”

Class 18 graduates and their assigned posts are:

• Ashley Holt, Post 1, Mayfield
• Emily Wallace, Post 1, Mayfield
• Lauren Hanner, Post 3, Bowling Green
• Jade Puckett, Post 3, Bowling Green
• Erin Benton, Post 5, Campbellsburg
• Josiah Turner, Post 6, Dry Ridge
• Michael Powers, Post 7, Richmond
• Lauren Webb, Post 7, Richmond
• Tabor Wright, Post 8, Morehead
• Carrigan Rowe, Post 9, Pikeville
• Abilene Steward, Post 12, Frankfort
• Alden Bowling, Post 13, Hazard
• Maribeth Housey, Post 14, Ashland
• Abigale Morgan, Post 15, Columbia
• Sydney Perkins, Post 15, Columbia
• Shawna Hannie, Post 15, Columbia

At the conclusion of each class, the ‘Charlotte Tanner Valedictorian’ Award is presented to the graduate who earned the highest class GPA and demonstrated extraordinary effort during the KSP Telecommunications Academy. The award is named in honor of the founder of the KSP telecommunications program, Charlotte Tanner who served the commonwealth for more than 50 years as a telecommunicator, radio room supervisor and instructor.

This year’s Charlotte Tanner Valedictorian Award has been awarded to Shawna Hannie and Abigale Morgan, who will share the honor of valedictorian with grade point averages of 98.25%.