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 class at the time of the committee meeting.

The Kentucky State Police tracks minimum qualifications and how applicants meet them. Burnett described the eligibility pathways: high school diploma or GED plus three years of work experience, 60 college credit hours, two years of military service, or two years of law‑enforcement experience. He said a majority of applicants applied under the high‑school/GED pathway (about 52–55 percent across classes), with roughly a quarter listing 60 college credit hours and smaller shares citing military or prior law enforcement service.

On why large numbers leave the academy, Burnett told legislators that two recurring reasons are family separation and failure to meet physical standards. "Most of [those who resign] is just because they miss their families. They miss their home," he said. He also described the physical‑fitness standard the agency uses: "It would be the bench press, a certain percentage of their body weight; push‑ups in a two‑minute period; situps in a two‑minute period; a 300‑meter run; and a mile‑and‑a‑half run." He said many candidates fail the running components.

The commissioner said the agency has expanded its recruiting staff and uses recruiters as mentors to help candidates prepare for the academy’s requirements, including partnerships with Bluegrass Technical Community College to allow some entrants to obtain an associate degree while attending the academy.

Burnett also answered a legislative question about staffing levels: he reported 845 sworn troopers on the force, not counting cadets and an additional 66 positions referenced in the presentation. Combining those figures and the 33 cadets reported in class 105, he said the total was about 944—below the historical high of 1,006 troopers previously recorded.

The agency is recruiting for cadet class 106 and planned to start that class in August 2025; Burnett said the application window was being closed earlier than planned due to high numbers of completed applications.

The Kentucky State Police presentation included demographic and pipeline details committee members requested; Burnett said the agency can provide more granular data from the quarterly reports if legislators request it.

Questions from Representatives on physical‑fitness testing and retention prompted officials to emphasize the centralized, residential nature of the state academy and how the requirement to relocate for training contributes to attrition. Representative Kulkarni asked whether people who drop out commonly return; Burnett said some do reapply and are sometimes successful in later classes.

The agency did not present a formal target for an acceptable graduation rate at the meeting and did not provide a final, audited headcount after the most recent class graduation. Committee members asked for follow‑up data on fitness‑test failure rates and the precise meaning of the 66‑figure cited alongside trooper counts.

The presentation and committee exchange conclude with the agency describing ongoing recruiting strategies, regional recruitment focus (including targeted efforts in Western Kentucky), and an expectation that running approximately 1.5 classes per year would help the agency maintain higher staffing levels.

The committee meeting record shows the recruitment discussion occurred during a scheduled appearance by Kentucky State Police representatives; the agency provided the quarterly reports referenced in the presentation to the General Assembly as required by House Bill 6.

Less critical details and next steps: legislators requested copies of the recruitment report and asked the agency to return with additional breakdowns, including fitness‑test failure trends and clarified counts for active troopers, cadets and other hiring categories.