Kentucky State Police Post 2 is welcoming five new troopers to the region, after the graduated from the Kentucky State Police Training Academy.
These troopers will begin their new public safety careers in their communities, with Zane Baker of Cerulean, Noah Phillips of Greenville, Cainan Trautman of Madisonville, Travis VanDrew of Russellville and James Yates of Marion serving the portions of the Pennyrile region.
This cadet class completed 24-weeks of demanding instruction and hands-on training required to become a state trooper. They underwent more than 1,000 hours of classroom and field study in subjects such as constitutional law, juvenile and traffic law, use of force, weapons training, defensive tactics, first aid, high speed vehicle pursuit, criminal investigation and much more.
The class Valedictorian award, which includes a new 2024 Dodge Durango police cruiser, was awarded to Trooper Travis VanDrew, who also received the Ernie Bivens Award. This honor is presented to a cadet who, in the opinion of the KSP Academy and fellow cadets, shows distinction as a leader, strives for academic excellence, and has excelled in all phases of the academy’s physical and vocational training.