KSP ENCOURAGES PUBLIC TO DOWNLOAD NEW MOBILE APP

Community oriented policing has been the cornerstone of our reputation and success since our inception in 1948. Our involvement in the rural areas we service continues to strengthen our partnerships throughout Kentucky. Many of you have heard me state that “…technology does not drive our mission. Our mission should drive the technology.” Simply stated, I have always been an advocate of technology if it streamlines our workload and contributes to our mission of keeping Kentucky a safer place to live and travel.


Obviously, our social media efforts over the past few years have tremendously increased our contacts within the communities we protect. For the past several months, our Public Affairs Branch has been working to expand our outreach to new levels by developing a new app for mobile devices. This new social media platform enables us to provide a wide range of services to citizens of the Commonwealth and across the United States.

This new app had already been downloaded 1200 times before we formally announced its release at a press conference earlier this week. Built on a robust platform, it offers numerous services to the end user. It allows citizens the ability to report crimes, access a multitude of forms and send us confidential tips in various formats. For instance, the photo icon allows the user to take a photo of something suspicious and send it to our agency immediately.

The ‘See Something, Say Something’ voice memo icon enables a citizen to record information about potential criminal activity and forward the recording to us. This reporting mechanism could assist us in solving a multitude of crimes and provide invaluable intelligence, particularly on homeland security issues. Additionally, the ‘Crime Tip Form’ icon provides a text field for citizens to forward information about criminal behavior in their neighborhood or workplace.

Additional information is provided concerning traffic, weather conditions, forms, CCDW, sexual offender registry, Kentucky’s Most Wanted, and links to our other social media outlets. This app is so sophisticated that it allows us to send push messages to a specific geo area from our headquarters building. The uses of this feature allow us to target a select group of people to notify during a prison escape, traffic back up or an Amber Alert. It also allows the user to pinpoint their exact location should they be lost or not familiar with their surroundings before calling the nearest KSP Post. The app is free and available to anyone with a mobile device.

The global smartphone audience totaled 1.75 billion users in 2014 and will overtake fixed internet usage this year. Statistics tell us that 82% of mobile phone use is spent utilizing a mobile app. I urge you to spread the word about this amazing new technology as we continue to advance our efforts to remain immersed in the communities we serve.
Download it today at ‘KSPOLICE’ on your iPhone, iPad, and Android phone.

A CHRISTMAS TRADITION

I’ll have to admit that I like fruitcake…good fruitcake. Despite the bad reputation and jokes about this strange culinary tradition of being used for door stops, I welcome the taste each holiday season. Admittedly, it may be the most re-gifted present on the planet. I seldom eat a piece of fruitcake that I don’t think of a story a friend conveyed to me years ago.

It seems that his Aunt Martha made fruitcakes each year to give as presents to family and friends. Dozens of these cakes were carefully wrapped, tied off with red ribbons, and distributed as the Christmas holiday neared. Most of the family pretended to like the fruitcakes to appease the old lady but never ate a bite of them during family gatherings. Aunt Martha never inquired or pressed the recipients for reports of their flavor, perhaps sensing that many became souvenirs or book ends. Regardless, the tradition continued for years as she delivered them with a huge smile and a proud embrace.

Eventually, Martha’s health declined and she lost her sight, forcing her to move into a nursing facility. During a visit by her nephew, she reminisced about how much she missed making her famous fruitcakes and handing them out to relatives. She confided in him that the tradition had gone back for two generations, remembering how she had helped her grandmother as a little girl in the kitchen during the holidays. She told him that she knew that a lot of folks don’t like fruitcake but that wasn’t what was truly important. With tear filled eyes, she confided that the tradition of “cooking up some love and sharing it with people” meant the most to her.

Her nephew found the long lost recipe and picked up all of the ingredients at the supermarket that afternoon. The next day, Aunt Martha’s assistance and knowledge provided the guidance needed for his unskilled hands to bake and wrap the annual tradition. Aunt Martha beamed as she handed out the cakes with newfound energy, despite her frail condition. At her funeral a few months later, relatives conversed and traded stories about her love and generosity. Copies of the fruitcake recipe were handed out with many of the family vowing to carry on the tradition.

Despite some of the anti-police sentiment that we are currently witnessing across the country, it’s comforting to know that the Kentucky State Police tradition of helping those in need continues. It may take many forms such as raising 232,011 pounds of food for hungry families in our ‘Cram the Cruiser’ campaign or taking needy kids shopping in the ‘Shop with a Trooper’ program. Our presence and influence continues to be felt and appreciated across the Commonwealth because of your generosity and kindness. We continue to be deeply committed in our mission to make rural communities a safer and better place to live, regardless of what’s going on in the rest of the world. That unwavering sense of community involvement brings me stability, comfort, and joy this Christmas season, much like Aunt Martha’s fruitcake.

HONOR HIKE: FOR ALL THAT SERVE AND FOR THOSE WHO GAVE ALL

I first visited the Grand Canyon when I was about eight years old. Although our journey that summer to California was eerily similar to a Griswold family vacation, it provided much laughter and memories in the years that followed. Of all the sights that trip generated, none is more vivid in my mind than my first glimpse at the Grand Canyon from the South Rim. Even as a little boy, this world wonder left me spellbound and amazed. Although our trip was short because we had to get back on the road, (note Griswold likeness!) I remember gazing at the trails and river below through one of those telescopes that cost you a hard earned quarter. Climbing into my Dad's old Cadillac, I daydreamed about what it was like at the bottom of this incredible spectacle.

I have visited the Grand Canyon several times since that day and its beauty and grandeur continues to be magical. Created by millions of years of erosion, this mystical work of nature contains thirteen different ecosystems below the rim level. As the crow flies, it is over a mile down before reaching the Colorado River, equating to many miles when hiking the main trails. Of the 5 million people who visit the Grand Canyon each year, less than 3 percent ever venture below the lookouts on the rim.


Several months ago, Lieutenant Colonel Jack Miniard and I began formalizing a plan to hike the Grand Canyon from rim to rim. Fascinated by the concept, we began a training regiment to check this childhood dream off of our bucket list. We decided early on that we would 'hike for a cause.' A few weeks ago we decided that our journey would be dedicated to those individuals in our agency that had given their life in the line of duty. Both of us will be carrying the photos and names of each trooper/officer who died defending the citizens of the Commonwealth when we embark in late August.


As you are aware, we are currently involved in a major fundraising effort for a 7 1/2 foot bronze sculpture of a trooper that will occupy a prominent place in our new academy courtyard. Handcrafted by world renowned sculptor Benjamin Victor, it will represent all who have fallen in the line of duty as well as those who have faithfully served under the Kentucky State Police flag since our inception. It will be a stunning piece of art that will represent the sacrifice, courage, and integrity that our agency was founded upon. The total cost of this project will be funded through private donations and fundraisers without the benefit of tax dollars. This is where I need your help and support.


Although the entire cost of the “Honor Hike” trip will be borne by us, we are asking supporters of our agency to donate one dollar for our fundraising efforts to help pay for this bronze sculpture. The entire trip will encompass nearly twenty-five miles of rugged terrain before completion. I suppose our trip will be representative of many things that we hold sacred in our agency psyche: preparation, struggle, perseverance, determination, victory and sacrifice.

The Kentucky State Police has been very blessed with strong community support since our inception in 1948. Would you help make this project a reality by taking the time to donate a dollar? Would you tell 3 of your friends about our efforts? Progress regarding our trip will be updated on our website and agency Facebook page. Checks can be made payable "The Trooper Project" and sent to:



The Trooper Project
919 Versailles Road
Frankfort, Kentucky. 40601


For additional information about the bronze sculpture and photographs of our upcoming trip, visit http://www.thetrooperproject.com/ and click on the attached YouTube link. All contributions are tax deductible and donations can also be made through PayPal. Thanks in advance for your ongoing support of the men and women who make up the Kentucky State Police---past, present and future.

The Triple Filter Test

Did you ever hear the story of the wise Greek philosopher Socrates?

It goes something like this:
One day an acquaintance ran up to him excitedly and said, "Socrates, do you know what I just heard about Diogenes?" "Wait a moment," Socrates replied, "Before you tell me I'd like you to pass a little test. It's called the Triple Filter Test."

"Triple filter?" asked the acquaintance.

"That's right," Socrates continued, "Before you talk to me about Diogenes let's take a moment to filter what you're going to say. The first filter is Truth. Have you made absolutely sure that what you are about to tell me is true?" "No," the man said, "Actually I just heard about it."

"All right," said Socrates, "So you don't really know if it's true or not. Now let's try the second filter, the filter of Goodness. Is what you are about to tell me about Diogenes something good?" "No, on the contrary" the man responded.

"So," Socrates continued, "You want to tell me something about Diogenes that may be bad, even though you're not certain it's true?"

The man shrugged, a little embarrassed. Socrates continued, "You may still pass the test though, because there is a third filter, the filter of Usefulness. Is what you want to tell me about Diogenes going to be useful to me?"

"No, not really."

"Well," concluded Socrates, "If what you want to tell me is neither True, nor Good, nor even Useful, why tell it to me or anyone at all?" The man left bewildered and ashamed.

The story reminds me of some discussions that I had with my counterparts from across the country a few years ago as we wrapped up our training with the FBI National Executive Institute training in Gettysburg. One of our final speakers discussed character (the drive to achieve) and values (the capacity to care) in leadership development. These two traits are acquired in two different ways: innately and through acquired learning.

Innate traits include intelligence, self-confidence, perseverance, high energy, embracing change, and curiosity. Conversely, acquired traits encompass the areas of vision, expertise, teamwork, diversity, good communication skills, delegation, and innovation. All of these and more are essential for our development as effective and powerful leaders. Arguably, the cornerstone of all of these is integrity.

Integrity means respecting your colleagues and agency even when times are rocky. It is not about covering up wrong-doing or unethical behavior. It is about giving people the benefit of the doubt until you are sure of the behavior or motive in question. And even if true, always applying the three filter test previously mentioned. It’s interesting in this social media age we live in how quick people are to spread anonymous venom about a person or an agency. Although the wisdom of Socrates dates back over 1600 years ago, I think he was way ahead of his time.

KSP TV is Hitting the Airwaves

Do you recall experiencing something really neat as a child and the building anticipation until you could tell the story to your friends? The stories probably ranged from a silly dog trick to a solar eclipse.

It still happens to us as adults, albeit a bit less frequently. As human beings we are geared to share our stories with others. The age of social media has certainly changed the way that we share those stories. In today’s world, our tales can be told to thousands, perhaps millions of people within minutes. Nearly a dozen years ago I conceived a plan to tell the story of our agency that perhaps was a bit ahead of it’s time. Fascinated by the “Kentucky Afield” television show hosted by the Department of Fish And Wildlife, I decided that a television show about our agency hosted by Kentucky Educational Television (KET) would be entertaining and informative. It would profile and bring to life many of the programs and initiatives of the Kentucky State Police. The concept was simple, but difficult and expensive to implement. At an estimated cost of over $1 million dollars a year to get off the ground, the idea was eventually shelved. However, I kept the file that I had researched and knew that someday the story of our agency would be told. With the advancements in social media, that day is now.

I’m pleased to announce the creation of “KSP-TV”. This program will begin its monthly debut August 1, 2012, on YouTube. This info-newscast will feature the multitude of talent and programs inside the walls of KSP. Each show will be three to seven minutes in duration and will be linked to our website. Not only will the show generate an incredible amount of public interest, it will act as a catalyst for our recruitment efforts in every section of our agency.
The topics are endless: a day in the life of a cadet, what is DNA?, Trooper Island, commercial vehicle truck inspection process, Special Response Team, preparing for a murder case, prepping a state police cruiser, traffic crash reconstruction, capabilities of our canines, dynamics of the driver testing process, combating internet based crimes, marijuana eradication………. and on and on and on.
Each broadcast will conclude with a highway safety tip or crime prevention thought. If you have story ideas that you would like to share, contact Ms. Sherry Bray in Public Affairs at sherry.bray@ky.gov. The time to tell our story is now because it’s just too good not to share with the world.

“In 6,000 years of storytelling, people have gone from depicting hunting on cave walls to depicting Shakespeare on Facebook walls.” — Joe Sabia

KSP Targets Cyberspace to Recruit New Troopers

Kentucky State Police (KSP) is tapping into Cyberspace through social media sites like YouTube©, Facebook©, and Twitter© to entice new recruits to join the agency. Today, I am pleased to announce that the agency launched its first of several recruiting videos via YouTube.

Social Media has become a crucial part of how we interact with each other and it accelerates the dissemination of information to the public. This is the way our society is now, especially with our younger generation – they want immediate notification.

KSP is accepting applications for Troopers through October and we are tapping into multiple social media formats to get the word out.

We are excited to launch the KSP YouTube channel with the goal of tapping into the millions of visitors who view that site daily. Marketing our agency through venues like this is a great opportunity to not only increase social chatter but a very cost effective way of marketing when budgets are already stretched thin.

KSP currently has several social media sites including Facebook, Twitter, Flickr and a Blog located on Blogger.com.

Social Media is not a fad. It will continue to evolve and it is important for agencies to recognize this in order to stay ahead of the curve. With millions of visitors a day, YouTube is a fantastic marketing tool for our Recruitment Branch. The addition of this page will enhance our current social media formats and drive traffic to our agency webpage.

The ‘KSP TV’ YouTube channel is located at http://www.youtube.com/user/kentuckystatepolice where viewers can watch the new recruiting video online.

Website-Monitoring.com posted recent YouTube statistics that show the potential for success when marketing through YouTube. This site currently exceeds two billion views a day and averages 24 hours of video uploads every minute. The average person spends 15 minutes a day on YouTube.

One of the unique things about social media sites is that it allows the public to see a different side of the agency and explore some of the unique projects KSP is involved in.

This first video takes an important process such as recruiting new troopers and blends in a little humor to make it more appealing. Other projects KSP has promoted on their social media sites have been Trooper Island Camp, Unsolved Case Playing Cards, Citizens Police Academy classes, Missing Persons cases, and a National Conference the agency hosted.

I encourage you to visit KSP social media sites and to share your thoughts and opinions about what the agency posts. One of the reasons we have had success with social media, is that we allow for an open forum. If someone disagrees with us or shares a critique of the agency, that is their opinion – and we respect that.

KSP currently has 33,809 followers on Facebook, 1,947 followers on Twitter, 2,900 views on Flickr and the Commissioners Blog has had 7,265 views.
If you are interested in checking out the KSP social media sites, you can click on the following links.

KSP Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kentucky-State-Police/103979825675
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/kystatepolice
Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kentuckystatepolice/
KSP Blog “Did You Know That?” http://kentuckystatepolice.blogspot.com/
KSP Website: http://www.kentuckystatepolice.org/