Gov. Beshear: Kentucky State Police Recognize Troopers and Officers at Annual Awards Ceremony

FRANKFORT, Ky. (September 25, 2025) -Today, the Beshear-Coleman administration honored 61 troopers, detectives and officers who went above and beyond the call of service in 2024. The Kentucky State Police (KSP) annual Sworn Awards Ceremony highlighted those who are dedicated to protecting Kentucky’s 120 counties with a mission of creating a safer commonwealth for future generations. The awards presented were for heroic acts of service that occurred in 2024.

“The Kentucky State Police have been keeping our state safe for 77 years,” Gov. Beshear said. “Team Kentucky thanks you for your tireless work to make our schools, churches and communities safer. As Governor, I will always support the work you do.”

In 2024, KSP responded to 412,530 calls for assistance, conducted thousands of wellness checks during dangerous weather conditions, protected children from online predators, obtained justice for victims, ran into unthinkable dangers and assisted local law enforcement agencies as needed to promote safety throughout the commonwealth.

During today’s ceremony, KSP Commissioner Phillip Burnett, Jr. praised the award recipients for their extraordinary service to the commonwealth.

“Tonight’s ceremony is about recognizing the troopers and officers who have gone far beyond the call of duty,” Commissioner Burnett said. “Whether facing danger head-on, uncovering the truth through determined investigations or showing compassion when it mattered most, these troopers and officers embody the highest standards of our agency.”

The 2024 award recipients include:

• Trooper Nicholas Taylor was named 2024 Trooper of the Year. Trooper Taylor is a
  3-year veteran of KSP assigned to Post 9, Pikeville.
• Detective Nathan Moore was named 2024 Detective of the Year. Detective Moore is a 7-year veteran of KSP assigned to Post 1, Mayfield.
• Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Officer Andrew Teaney was named the 2024 Jason Cammack Officer of the Year for the KSP Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Troop. Officer Teaney is a 13-year veteran of KSP assigned to the CVE Central Region.
• Trooper Scottie Pennington was named 2024 Public Affairs Officer of the Year. Trooper Pennington is a 23-year veteran of KSP assigned to Post 11, London.
• Officer Kyle Peacock was named 2024 Facilities Security Officer of the Year. Officer Peacock is a 2-year veteran of KSP assigned to the Facilities Security Branch.
• Lieutenant Hunter Martin received the 2024 Service Achievement Award. Lieutenant Martin is a 27-year veteran of KSP assigned to the Critical Incident Response Branch.
• Eight troopers were awarded the KSP Citation for Bravery, an honor bestowed on officers who perform acts of bravery without regard for personal risk despite clear and obvious peril and clearly above and beyond the call or risk of ordinary duty.
• Eleven troopers received the Lifesaving Medal, which is awarded to officers who perform life-saving acts under extraordinary circumstances.
• Nineteen troopers were named post-level Detectives of the Year.
• Twenty troopers were named post-level Troopers of the Year.
• Two Commercial Vehicle Enforcement officers were named Officer of the Year at the regional level.

A complete list of award recipients is available on the KSP website.

KSP is looking to recruit the next generation of law enforcement leaders. Individuals interested in a career of service, leadership and honor are encouraged to apply today at JoinKSP.com.

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.

Last week, Lt. Gov. Coleman joined KSP to break ground on a new, state-of-the-art Drivers’ Skills Pad at the agency’s training academy in Frankfort. The $2.7 million project will provide troopers, officers and cadets with a facility dedicated to safely practice and refine advanced driving techniques.

Protecting the commonwealth’s schools are a top priority of Team Kentucky. In August, the Governor announced that 1,315 Kentucky public schools are following statutory safety requirements required by the School Safety and Resiliency Act and that the number of school resource officers protecting schools has increased more than 100% since he took office.

In April, Gov. Andy Beshear was joined by members of the Cash family, the Kentucky law enforcement community and the Department of Criminal Justice Training to officially open the doors to the new law enforcement training facility named in honor of Jody Cash, who lost his life in the line of duty. The facility is a 42,794-square-foot facility with a 50-yard, 30-lane firing range designed for officers to learn intensive and specialized training that will support training all of Kentucky’s law enforcement agencies.

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.

The 2024 Crime in Kentucky report, released in June, shows that from 2023 to 2024  there was an overall decrease of 7.66% in reports of serious crime.

For three straight years, overdose deaths have decreased in Kentucky. In 2024, the commonwealth saw 30.2% fewer overdose deaths than the year prior.

At the beginning of his second term, 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 with an annual training stipend for the first time in the history of the commonwealth.

For more information about KSP’s commitment to creating a better Kentucky by making the commonwealth’s streets safer, communities stronger and the nation more secure by providing exceptional law enforcement, click here.

# # #