Kentucky State Police report higher applications but persistent cadet attrition

Colonel Philip Burnett Jr., commissioner of the Kentucky State Police, told the House Committee on Safety and Judiciary that recent trooper cadet classes have shown higher numbers of complete applications but still face high attrition before graduation.

Burnett said the agency filed quarterly reports required by House Bill 6 and that those reports cover recruitment, retention and demographic statistics for trooper cadet classes. "We have submitted 2 of those, 1 in November and 1 in February," he said.

The report details for cadet class 104 (fiscal year 2023–24): 547 applications were considered complete; the average age of applicants was 27, with the largest single age cohort 22. The class began in January 2024 with 72 cadets; 37 graduated on June 21, 2024. For cadet class 105 (fiscal year 2024–25), Burnett said 814 applications were considered complete; the average applicant age was 26 and most applicants were 22. The agency issued 89 conditional offers for class 105, 83 recruits arrived the first day, and 33 remained in the academy at the time of the…