Kentucky State Police report rising academy applications but high attrition, officials tell House committee

Colonel Phillip Burnett Jr., commissioner of the Kentucky State Police, told a Kentucky House committee that the agency has seen a surge in complete applications for trooper cadet classes but continues to experience substantial attrition in the academy.

Burnett said the agency submitted quarterly recruitment reports required by House Bill 6 and described statistics from recent cadet classes. "In 2024, General Assembly passed House Bill 6 directing Kentucky State Police to prepare a report detailing recruitment, retention, and demographic statistics," he said.

The report for cadet class 104 (fiscal year 2023–24) showed 547 applications that were considered complete; the average applicant age was 27, with the plurality 22. That class began in January 2024 with 72 cadets; Burnett said the average age of those who started was 25 and the class graduated on June 21, 2024, with 37 cadets remaining.

For cadet class 105 (fiscal year 2024–25), Burnett said 814 applications were considered complete and the average applicant age was 26. The agency issued 89 conditional letters of employment for a class that began November 10, 2024; 83 cadets reported the first day and the class was slated to graduate May 2, 2025. Burnett said 33 cadets remained in the…