Governor Andy Beshear and the Kentucky Department of Criminal Justice Training (DOCJT) announced that 30 law enforcement officers from Commonwealth agencies assigned to specific school campuses have completed their third resource officer training schools (SRO) III. Graduate officers have completed the state’s 120 hours of mandatory training over a three-year period (SRO I, SRO II, and SRO III), making them fully certified to work in Kentucky’s school systems.
“Ensuring the safety and well-being of Kentucky schools is a top priority of my administration,” Governor Beshear said. “I commend you for taking on this responsibility. Thank you for all you do for your agency, school systems and the Commonwealth.
The DOCJT’s SRO training targets the specific needs of officers responsible for ensuring the safety of students and staff located inside a school. SRO courses were revamped after the Safe and Resilient Schools Act was passed in 2019. That year, training was updated and expanded to serve today’s school children and administrators. today. All three levels of training are now available to active, certified law enforcement serving as school resource officers. All SROs must complete the SRO I refresher course within one year of their start date. The SRO II and SRO III training courses must be taken during the following two years as annual continuing education. SRO training includes topics such as working with students with special needs, mental health awareness, and trauma-informed action. Refresher training in firearms and tactics is also included.
“School Resource Officers are an essential part of law enforcement agencies in today’s world,” said DOCJT Commissioner Nicolai Jilek. “I am proud of the efforts you have made to help make our schools a safe place for children to learn.”
For more information on the role an SRO plays in school safety, click here and here.
For a copy of the 2020-2021 School Risk Assessment Report, click here.
DOCJT is a state agency located on the campus of Eastern Kentucky University. The agency is the first in the nation to be accredited under the Law Enforcement Agency Accreditation Commission’s Public Safety Training Program designation. DOCJT also achieved re-accreditation through the International Association for Continuing Education and Training in 2018.
ORS III Class 3 graduates and their agencies are:
Christopher L. Atkins, Anderson County Sheriff’s Office
Michael J. Ayers, Christian County Sheriff’s Office
Michael D. Broughton, Knox County Sheriff’s Office
Patrick L. Clouse, Knox County Sheriff’s Office
Richard K. Croghan, Warren County Sheriff’s Office
Jeffery T. Davis, Fayette County Schools Police Department
Tracy R. Day, Fayette County Schools Police Department
Philip L. Harney, Campbell County Police Department
Walter D. Hart Jr., Fayette County Schools Police Department
Michael P. Chief, Oldham County Police Department
Chad C. Irwin, Kenton County Police Department
David P. Jones, Pendleton County Sheriff’s Office
Stephen Peter Langdon, Somerset Police Department
Marvin Meford, Muhlenberg County Sheriff’s Office
Preston H. Middleton, Stanford Police Department
Jimerson A. Montgomery, Risk Police Department
Donald A. Mulhall, Carrolton Police Department
James G. Pace, Corbin Police Department
Chad A. Parker, Hickman Police Department
James F. Poynter, Taylor Mill Police Department
Jack T. Roberts, Fayette County Schools Police Department
Zachary L. Rohlfer, ft. Thomas Font
James W. Sadler, Dawson Springs Police Department
David L. Smith, Shepherdsville Police Department
David G. Southworth, Fayette County Schools Police Department
Mike Thatcher, Kenton County Police Department
Wayne Turner, Boone County Sheriff’s Office
Gerald Chris Twehues, Edgewood Police Department
Edward Alexander Wesley II, Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office
Joshua A. Wright, Warren County Sheriff’s Office
