It Can Wait.

Would it surprise you to know that distracted driving continues to be the leading contributor to motor vehicle crashes throughout the Commonwealth? Although we continue to combat impaired drivers and those who chose not to wear their seatbelts, the distractions within our vehicles are killing Kentuckians more often than anything else. Of all the distractions we face while driving, texting while driving is arguably the most dangerous of them all. Recent studies indicate that a driver who is texting is 23 times more likely to be involved in a wreck.

As you may be aware, a “texting while driving” statute was passed by our Legislature and became effective on July 15, 2010. However, due to a grace period that would allow motorists to become familiar with the law, enforcement action by law enforcement did not begin until January 1, 2011. To underscore the importance of this issue, Governor Beshear signed a proclamation on October 10, 2012, declaring it as a “Don’t Text and Drive Day” in Kentucky.

Studies show that sending or receiving a text takes a driver’s eyes from the road for 4.6 seconds. At 55 mph a vehicle travels the length of a football field in 4.6 seconds. That is like driving 100 yards – essentially blind.

With the comfort of modern day vehicles, many drivers don’t realize how much ground they are covering at relatively low speeds. Think about this example that I used to give when teaching teenage driving classes: It takes the average human being ¾ of a second to perceive a threat, and another ¾ of a second to react to the threat. This is what actually takes place before our brakes even begin to engage. Keeping that in mind, we are covering 80 feet per second while travelling at 55 miles per hour. Our total stopping distance at that speed on level, dry pavement (including our reaction time) would be 265 feet! Recent studies indicate that a text of approximately 100 characters forces us to take our eyes off the road for over 4 1/2 seconds.

Texting and driving is not just a teenage phenomenon. It is rapidly becoming a problem amongst drivers of all ages. Not only is it against the law, but every time you do it – you take the life of another person in your hands.

I continue to hear testimony of families who have lost loved ones who were texting or hit by someone who was texting. Their stories are devastating and continually illustrate how senseless these tragedies are. The next time you are tempted to accept a text or even a phone call while driving, make a mental assessment of just how important that message really is and if it can wait. The life you save could very well be your own.

For more information on the "It Can Wait" campaign click http://itcanwait.com/

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 Unveils 3D Laser Scanner - Changing the Way Crimes are Solved

I have often said that technology should never drive our function; our function should always drive the technology we use. Simply put, the mission of the Kentucky State Police should never be altered or adjusted because of new gadgetry or devices. Emerging technology is useless to us if it doesn’t support our mission and purpose making our jobs more efficient and streamlined. With that said, we have acquired a new piece of equipment that will revolutionize the way we process crime and traffic scenes.

Thanks to a Violence Against Women Act grant, our agency now possesses a state-of-the-art three dimensional scanner that provides investigators with a 360 degree panorama of crime and crash scenes. The Leica ScanStation C10 is a portable laser that is capable of capturing thousands of points per seconds to a range of 900 feet. This laser mapping system is an incredible piece of technology and is currently the only one in the Kentucky law enforcement community. With a price tag of over $200,000 dollars, it is reported that less than one hundred of them are currently being used by law enforcement in the United States.

Not only does this process provide an incredible visual in the courtroom, it minimizes the potential for human error. Just as importantly, the Leica system minimizes man hours over the traditional total station approach. A scene that traditionally required as many as a dozen officers now only requires two or three officers and are often cleared 40-50 percent faster than mapping techniques utilized in the past. The speed of mapping enhances officer safety by allowing us to open roadways quicker and divert traffic for shorter periods of time. Not only does the Leica system provide a realistic visible record of the scene, it also provides investigators the ability to access exact measurements between objects in the diagram. This feature is built into the software component and requires no measuring on the part of the officer. The Leica system literally provides a digital footprint that allows us to determine a reliable and accurate depiction of the actual event.

Our Collision Analysis and Highway Safety Branch has already utilized the system over a dozen times, with the most recent being a trooper involved shooting in Breathitt County. Aside from criminal and traffic cases, this system has untold uses and possibilities: vulnerability and threat assessments, post blast investigations, fire scene reconstruction, and shooter trajectory analysis. If you would like to see firsthand how the Leica system operates, click on the following link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZB9uY1ddiI&list=PLDEE6EDA89797110A&index=4&feature=plpp_video Despite austere budgetary times, our agency continues to set the trend nationally when it comes to state of the art investigative techniques.

A Son's Remembrance of the Badge

Early in 2010, I received a call from our Supply Commander, Captain Jeff Mayberry (retired). Jeff advised me that he had found an interesting artifact regarding KSP history and wanted to share it with me. Later that afternoon, he stopped by my office and produced a crumpled brown envelope with a faded handwritten inscription that read Trooper M. Brady. The envelope contained a badly burned Kentucky State Police badge, unit #480. I instantly recognized the badge as belonging to Trooper Mack Brady who was killed in the line of duty on November 9, 1966. It seems that the badge had been placed in a safe after his death and had never been looked at or accounted for since that time. Trooper Brady, a seventeen year veteran, was in route to a domestic dispute when he swerved to avoid hitting another vehicle that had failed to yield the right of way. His cruiser ran off the road and hit a bridge abutment, exploding in flames. He perished in the blaze, unable to escape his new cruiser that he had just picked up that morning. The badge remained in my desk drawer for several months as I agonized over how to present this to the family. Many of you know that Mack’s son, Ed Brady, was a career trooper with us and is now the Sheriff of Henderson County. I had known Ed for many years and finally decided that the badge should be given to him in a private setting. In May 2010, I drove to Henderson and met with Ed in his office. After some small talk, I advised him that I had a very special gift for him. I produced the badge wrapped in simple white tissue paper. Ed sobbed emotionally after unwrapping it, asking me to tell him the full story of the badge’s origin. After I recounted the story, Ed told me about that fateful day. He was fifteen years old and remembers vividly his dad getting called back out to answer a domestic violence call. He assured him that he wouldn’t be gone long and would return later after supper. News of his death devastated his family and affected them forever. Ed stated that he always wondered how the badge presented to his family at the funeral was in such pristine condition after that horrific crash. It became clear that the Command Staff at the time substituted a new badge, not wanting to add to the family’s grief by presenting them with his original badge in such poor condition. As Ed and I both cried, he told me that I would never know how much this meant to him and his family. I told him that as part of his KSP family, I knew the sacred significance that lay behind this badge.

Ed quickly apologized and stated that of course he realized that I understood. As he held the badge gingerly in his hands, he softly stated that it was hard to believe that this was resting less than four inches from his dad’s heart when he died. In 1962, President John F. Kennedy signed a proclamation which designated May 15th as Peace Officers Memorial Day and the week in which that date falls as Police Week. Let us never forget those who have went before us and those who continue to serve to protect home and family across the Country. Top Photo: Trooper Mack Brady. Bottom Photo: Henderson County Sheriff Ed Brady.

Motorcycle Safety Via Social Media

We have been working on a social media blitz about motorcycle safety. Usually, we start advocating this message in May, but with the unseasonably warm weather this year, we are seeing more cyclists out on the roadways.

Unfortunately 2012 has already shown a spike in motorcycle-related crashes with a 69 percent increase from 2011 for the same time period. For this reason, we have decided to utilize our best asset for reaching the public – social media. With over 40,000 followers on Facebook©, 2,900 followers on Twitter© and an active YouTube©, Flickr© and Blogger© account, the agency plans to blast out motorcycle safety messaging via these platforms.

Our main goal is to increase driver recognition of motorcycles in traffic, while at the same time encouraging cyclists to engage in the overall safe operation of their bikes.

We are encouraging motorcyclists to wear safety gear including gloves, boots, jacket an approved DOT helmet.

KSP will offer a free three-hour motorcycle safety seminar on May 17, 2012, taught by a certified Motorcycle Safety Foundation RiderCoach.

We will host our 5th Annual 'Motorcycle Safety Awareness Day' on Friday, June 22, 2012 here at headquarters in Frankfort. This is always a great day with cyclists from across the state attending to participate in a police escorted ride through scenic Kentucky. We also have safety exhibits and motorcycle vendors set up and an awesome smoked barbecue!

For more information about the KSP ‘Motorcycle Safety Day’ program or the free motorcycle safety clinic please contact the Kentucky State Police at (502) 782-1780.

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 Website: http://www.kentuckystatepolice.org/

KSP UNVEILS CHEVY CAPRICE CRUISER

February 23, 2012

Have you ever wondered how a police agency chooses their police vehicle? The answers vary and obviously depend on the needs of the agency regarding the type of service delivery and geographical terrain that they routinely patrol in. Price, functionality, style, performance, and appearance are also some of the weighted factors taken into consideration.

While the Kentucky State Police utilize several different types of specialty vehicles, arguably none are more recognizable by the citizens of our state than the familiar gray marked cruiser with the blue bar light. Although we have driven the Ford Crown Victoria for many years, 2012 will reveal a somewhat different look. Last year, Ford announced that it would discontinue the Crown Victoria police package and replace it with the new Ford Police Interceptor.

After establishing a committee comprised of troopers, trainers, mechanics and researchers, each of the three police vehicle packages offered by Ford, Chevrolet, and Chrysler were studied over a several month period. Each vehicle was test driven in a variety of conditions on a controlled test track. Although each of the products tested had numerous attributes, it was determined that the Chevrolet Caprice police package would be the choice for purchase in the 2012 calendar year. It was also revealed early in the process that the Ford Interceptor would not go into production until late April, much too late to meet our needs for this year.

State statutes mandate that vehicles be put out on a bidding process with specifics regarding upgrades and features. Ultimately, an established dealer is awarded the contract for a specific type of car(s) for an agency within state government to purchase. After this process, the actual purchase takes place and delivery is received several weeks later. Ultimately, the arduous task of installing blue lights, sirens, switch boxes; protective screens, mobile data computer mounts and striping packages take place. These functions take place in our Frankfort central garage by some very talented technicians and mechanics. This can take as much as a day or two per vehicle and adds an additional cost of $12,920 to each car if none of the parts are recycled from surplus vehicles.

Although it’s hard to believe, the Kentucky State Police averages driving nearly two and a half million miles per month while patrolling the roadways of the Commonwealth. We continue to be as frugal as possible in purchasing patrol vehicles, while keeping in mind the importance of officer safety and the need for an emergency response to protect the public we serve.

The Call Was Answered...

December 21, 2011

“Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus…”

On October 7, 2011, I issued a call for assistance regarding a fundraising effort for Trooper Glen Franklin who was shot during an undercover bootleg buy in 1972. As you recall, Glen was just ten months into his career when he became confined to a wheelchair for the rest of his life.

Although we received donations from across the United States, the outpouring from our agency was overwhelming. Amidst bake sales, chili cook-offs, yard sales and gun raffles WE raised $46,206.34 for this hero. After negotiations with Superior Van of Lexington, which included a hefty dealer discount and a rebate from Honda, we were able to purchase a fully equipped 2011 Honda Odyssey for $39,303 with the trade-in of the Franklin’s current van. The remainder of the monies is for the Franklins to utilize as they see fit.

The fundraising efforts snowballed and took on a life of its’ own. Amidst the generous donations of cash, the Franklins also received four box seats to a Cincinnati Reds game, VIP treatment to a Cincinnati Bengals game, a Garmin GPS unit from the Braun Corporation, and lifetime oil changes and tire balancing service from Capitol Auto Park.

The event, attended by Governor Steve Beshear and Senator Julian Carroll, was perhaps one of the proudest moments during my career with the Kentucky State Police. After Trooper Franklin was presented the Guthrie Crowe Award, I explained the outpouring of support during our fundraising endeavors to the Franklins. Ultimately, the van was unveiled, including a personalized KSP plate on the front with his unit number. To say that they were surprised and overwhelmed is an understatement!

Perhaps the most gratifying moment for me was watching Trooper Franklin being interviewed by multiple news agencies. After forty years of being confined to a wheelchair, I felt that he was finally getting a modicum of the recognition that he deserved.

After the fanfare had subsided and most of the 160 plus spectators had left, Lieutenant Jude and I had a private moment with Glen and his wife Jan. In a tear filled moment, Glen told me how appreciative he was and asked me how he could ever repay all of the kindness that he and his family had been shown. I responded by telling him that the debt had already been paid in full on November 26, 1972. Amen.