According to U.S. labor of bureau statistics (2018) the average salary for a police officer in Kentucky is...
Average Salary
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How to Become a Cop in KY & Job Overview:
Learn About Starting Salary for cops in KY, Job Openings, Disqualification Factors, Requirements & Hiring Process
Table of Contents
The Top 3 Reasons to become a cop
in Kentucky
Usually Friendly People
when you work as a cop in KY, expect a lot of hello's from civilians, total strangers asking how your day is going, and random people striking up a conversation with you.
Kentuckian Pride
There is no greater state pride than the folks that live in KY called the "Kentuckians". If you work there, you're surely understand it. unlike other sates, They're a very United bunch.
Cost of Living
The cost of living in Kentucky is by far better than any other state in the region. This means you can actually save, and your take home pay will go a lot further than just paying the bills.
WATCH How to Train to Become a Police Officer
Minimum Qualifications
Note: Police Agencies in KY will require that you pass a comprehensive background check before becoming a police officer for their agency
- Must be a citizen of the United States
- Must be 21 years of age
- Must have a valid driver’s license
- Must Have high school diploma or GED
- Must possess English language proficiency
- Must Successfully pass the background check
- Must pass all stages of the hiring process
- Must be someone of good moral character
- OWI/DUI conviction within the last 5 Years
- Lying during the selection process
- dishonorable discharge from the military
- Falsifying documents about your arrest history
- Serious drug usage within the past 1-2 years
- Failure to pass the drug screen
- Domestic battery convictions
- Any Felony Convictions & serious Misdemeanors
Types of Specialized Units
Air Unit
Bomb Squad
Canine Unit
Dignitary Protection Team
Dive Team
Hazardous Incident Response Team
Honor Guard
Hostage Negotiating Team
Mounted Patrol
Peer Support
River Patrol
Special Response Team
SWAT Team
Detectives
Drug Task Force
How Much Money Do Cops Make in KY?
*salary does not reflect overtime, career promotion, longevity, shift premium, educational or bi-lingual incentives, bonuses, overtime, etc.
KY Compensation Percentile Calculator
The percentile wage estimate below is the value of a wage below which certain percent of workers fall. Data collected from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2018)
(i.e., 10% of police officers in a given state earn a certain wage or lower — or, put another way, 90% of cops earn more than that wage);
10th Percentile
$28,820
25th Perentile
$36,100
50th percentile
$44,820
75th percentile
$54,310
90th percentile
$63,520
Career Projection Breakdown
Chief of Police
Executive Assistant Chief
Assistant Chief
Deputy Chief
Major
Captain
Lieutenant
Sergeant
Senior Corporal
Patrolman
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Find Best Police Jobs in KY
Click below to search for police jobs near me in KY. Browse jobs by city/county or zip code
Top 5 Largest & Best Police departments
To Work For in Kentucky
#1
Jefferson County Sheriff Dept.
With 770,517 people living in Jefferson County, the Jefferson County Sheriff Dept serve the largest county in KY.
#2
Fayette County Sheriff Dept
The Fayette Sheriff Dept serve a total population of 323,780 residents making it the 2nd largest county in KY.
#3
Kenton County Sheriff Dept.
With around 166,051 people living in Kenton, the Kenton County Sheriff Department is the 3rd largest county in Kentucky.
#4
Boone County Sheriff Dept.
With 131,533 residents living in Boone County, the Boone County serves the fourth largest county in the state of KY.
Requirements to Become a cop in KY
The Kentucky Peace Officer Professional Standards Act administered by the Kentucky Law Enforcement Council (KLEC) sets the standards for becoming a municipal police officer in Kentucky, although some local jurisdictions may have additional requirements.
Police officer candidates must earn certification from a police academy or graduate from a two-year college. In Kentucky most local police departments favor applicants who have attended college and some even require a college education.
Prospective law enforcement officers in Kentucky must meet the requirements set by the Kentucky Justice and Public Safety Cabinet (KJPSC)
The Kentucky Peace Officer Professional Standards Act administered by the Kentucky Law Enforcement Council (KLEC) sets the standards for becoming a municipal police officer in Kentucky, although some local jurisdictions may have additional requirements.
Police officer candidates must earn certification from a police academy or graduate from a two-year college. In Kentucky most local police departments favor applicants who have attended college and some even require a college education.
KY Police Academy Requirements
Those candidates who attend a certified police training academy will find the course rigorous and demanding. The curriculum of 760 hours in a residential setting is mentally and physically challenging. But, even before considering the education requirements of becoming a police officer in Kentucky, candidates will be screened to make sure that they meet certain other minimum standards.
Selection Process/Hiring Standards
The minimum age is 21 by the application filing date. Holding a driver’s license is a requirement. The minimum education is a high school diploma or GED equivalent but given the partiality that many jurisdictions have for a college education, high school may simply not be enough. The education requirement is something you’ll have to check on with local jurisdictions.
Disqualification Factors
Kentucky lists a number of factors that will prevent you from becoming a police officer. A felony conviction will disqualify you, as will any conviction of a serious misdemeanor within 12 months preceding the application filing date. Illegal drug use within those 12 months will prevent you from being hired.
In addition, you may not have been involved in cultivating, manufacturing, distributing or trafficking in illegal drugs or substances. Nor can you have been fired or forced to resign from any job within 12 months of filing.
If you have worked as a security guard or similar in a labor dispute situation within two years of applying, you will be disqualified.
Police Physical Fitness Test Requirements
Kentucky also specifies minimum physical fitness requirements. You must be able to bench press 64 percent of your body weight, complete 18 sit-ups within one minute, finish a 300-meter run in 65 seconds, perform 20 push-ups and run 1.5 miles in less than 18 minutes. However, the minimums are higher in order to graduate basic training.
Within five days of the final date of basic training, recruits must bench press 73 percent of body weight, perform 18 sit-ups in one minute, run 300 meters in 65 seconds, complete 25 push-ups and run a mile and a half in sixteen minutes, 15 seconds.
A good source to get detailed information on requirements in Kentucky is
http://docjt.jus.state.ky.us/recruit_info.html, the website of the Department of Criminal Justice, Training Page. But try, also, the website for individual police jurisdictions for requirements specific to those agencies.
Average Salary & Pay Scale
According to the Bureau Of Labor Statistics (2018), a police officer in the state of Kentucky makes an annually salary of $45,600 per year. However the data collected by BLS is not very accurate since it does not include overtime pay or off duty details. These two factors, if included in the data, would have increased the average salary of a police officer in Kentucky.
Kentucky State Police (KSP), State Trooper Requirements*
- * please visit KSP official web page as the information below may have changed.
The Kentucky State Police is a full service law enforcement agency with state wide jurisdiction. There are 16 posts throughout the state that serve the public.
KSP Benefits include:
- Job Security
- Furnished Equipment
- Per Diem
- Take-Home Car
- Opportunities for Advancement
- Medical Leave and Incremental Vacation
- Leave 20 Year Retirement
- College Tuition Assistance Program
- Paid Annual Leave for National Guard and Reserves
- State-Supported Health Insurance
Career Opportunities
There are many specialized positions in the Kentucky State Police that officers may choose to pursue:
- Enforcement Support
- Canine Coordinator
- Pilot Training
- Training Fitness Officer
- Firearms Coordinator
- Executive Security
- Executive Protection Officer
- Special Operations
- Special Response Team
- Driver Testing License Exam Officer
- Legal Support Legal Officer
- Investigations General Investigator
- Vehicle Theft Inv.
- Drug Investigator
- Laboratory Photo
- Lab Polygraph Examiner
- Public Affairs Officer
- Special Affairs Coordinator
KRS 16.040 (2) requires that all persons appointed as officers shall, at the time of their appointment, be:
- A citizen of the United States Of good moral character and in good health
- Not less than twenty-one (21) years of age
- Possess a valid drivers license against which no more than six (6) driver demerit points have been assessed
- At the time of application, possess a minimum of sixty (60) college hours of credit,
- or an associates degree from an accredited college or university, or be a high school
- graduate with at least two (2) years of active military duty or,
- two (2) years experience as a full-time, sworn law enforcement officer.
Application Documents Required Application must be typed or printed legibly in ink and a copy of the following attached:
- Birth Certificate Certified copy of college or university transcripts (if applicable)
- Notarized letter from employer in law enforcement certifying length of employment (if applicable)
- Copy of DD214, if a veteran of the military, (or if currently active, a notarized letter from commanding officer verifying length of service)
- High school diploma or GED certificate required if military or law enforcement experience is used to satisfy requirements
Written Examination
All applicants must choose a date and time, from those available, to report for the written examination.
Applications should be returned to the nearest State Police Post or Driver Testing Station in Louisville or Lexington. Applications delivered to these locations must be returned between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday by appointment only.
Applications may also be returned by mail or hand-delivered to the Kentucky State Police Recruitment Office, 919 Versailles Road, Frankfort, Kentucky 40601. Examination dates and times are listed below, you must choose a date and location to take your written exam.
Applicants may be required to complete an extensive background profile All persons selected for employment by the Kentucky State Police as Cadet Troopers will be subject to a rigorous training program of twentytwo (22) weeks in duration.
All cadets are required to live at the Academy during this training period and must adhere to all rules and regulations of the Kentucky State Police. Cadets will be appointed to the position of Trooper upon successful completion of the training
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