Gov. Beshear: Kentucky State Police Kick Off Youth Academy Program To Prepare Tomorrow’s Heroes
Week-long program offers hands-on training, leadership skills for aspiring law enforcement professionals
FRANKFORT, Ky. (July 28, 2025) — Today, Gov. Andy Beshear marked the beginning of the second annual Kentucky State Police (KSP) Youth Academy Program, a program aimed at introducing teenagers to the foundational principles of law enforcement. The program is designed to help teens explore career opportunities in policing while building confidence, leadership and teamwork.
“Building relationships between law enforcement and young Kentuckians is the best way to build trust in law enforcement while recruiting and preparing tomorrow’s brave first responders,” Gov. Beshear said. “This program will allow us to continue building that trust, while also creating a safer Kentucky for all our people.”
The immersive, week-long program is held at Trooper Island Camp on Dale Hollow Lake and provides 16- and 17-year-olds with an opportunity to learn directly from state troopers, detectives, instructors and support staff. Throughout the week, cadets engage in physical training, classroom instruction and hands-on activities that reflect real-life responsibilities of law enforcement professionals.
“This initiative is more than a summer camp; it is an early step in the recruitment pipeline,” KSP Commissioner Phillip Burnett Jr. said. “We want these young men and women to walk away feeling inspired, capable and informed about what it takes to join the Kentucky State Police, whether that is a sworn or civilian role.”
During the week-long program, which began today and runs through Aug. 1, participants will engage in activities and instruction, including:
- Exploration of core values and ethics fundamental to law enforcement.
- Team-building exercises to cultivate collaboration and camaraderie.
- Hands-on demonstrations from the KSP Crime Lab to understand forensic techniques.
- Insight into commercial vehicle enforcement procedures and techniques.
- Introduction to criminal investigations and crime scene analysis.
“Watching these teens develop throughout the week is powerful,” Youth Academy Coordinator Scott Ferrell said. “They come in curious and leave with a clearer understanding of themselves, their strengths and the demands of a law enforcement career.”
In 2024, 23 Kentuckians graduated from the Youth Academy Program. KSP launched this innovative program last year as part of a broader strategy to strengthen recruitment efforts and to deepen community outreach with Kentucky’s youth. The agency remains committed to developing initiatives that foster interest in public safety careers and reflect the values of service, community and integrity. For more information about the Youth Academy Program or how to apply for future sessions, visit KSP’s website.
The Beshear-Coleman administration is committed to making Kentucky a national leader in public safety by increasing access to addiction resources, improving second chance opportunities, providing support and enhanced training to law enforcement officers and boosting the economy.
The Governor has worked to support victims of crime and sexual abuse since his first day as attorney general, and he continues to do so in the Governor’s Office. As attorney general, Beshear’s office created the Office of Child Abuse and Human Trafficking Prevention and Prosecution, created the Survivor’s Council and arrested a historic number of child predators. Since becoming Governor, the Beshear-Coleman administration has awarded more than $149 million in grant funding to victim service agencies across the commonwealth. The Governor has also signed legislation to make sexual extortion a felony and strengthened statutory language to include other forms of abuse and sexual exploitation of minors.
Since Gov. Beshear took office, fewer Kentuckians have returned to prison after their release. In February, it was announced that nearly 70% of those released from state custody have not returned. Following this announcement, the Governor established the Team Kentucky Office of Reentry Services, which works to coordinate reentry services across state government to ensure everyone leaving prison has access to quality second chance resources. The administration also continues to work with employers to provide good-paying jobs to inmates upon their release, further reducing the chances of reoffending.
For three straight years, overdose deaths have decreased in Kentucky. In 2024, the commonwealth saw 30.2% fewer overdose deaths than the year before, thanks to the increased availability of naloxone and recovery services across the state. To continue this work, four more counties were certified as Recovery Ready Communities in May for their ability to provide addiction and recovery treatment, job services and transportation to these services, bringing the number of certified counties up to 25.
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Editor’s Note: click this link to access video and photos from the 2024 Youth Academy Program