Madisonville government officials and law enforcement were joined by Governor Andy Beshear to welcome the first basic training class to the Western Kentucky Law Enforcement Training Facility on Friday.
Before the facility in Madisonville opened, law enforcement applicants had to travel to Richmond to attend a 20-week long basic training program.
In September 2024, Beshear announced that a new training facility will be built in Madisonville. While the facility is being constructed, the basic training program will be temporarily housed in a facility provided by the Madisonville Police Department.
Beshear welcomed the first class of recruits which includes 23 Kentuckians from 17 law enforcement agencies. He spoke about the recent flooding that affected the majority of the state and says law enforcement played an integral role in responding to recent flooding.
Beshear calls the new training facility a win-win and a boost to public safety as more training spots are available for recruits.
Madisonville Mayor Kevin Cotton says he has spent around four years working toward bringing the training facility to town and is excited to see it become a reality. He says the training facility will benefit law enforcement agencies across the state and Madisonville will have additional law enforcement resources.
Madisonville Police Chief Steve Bryan thanked those who worked to establish the training program and those who are working toward constructing a training facility and is honored to play a role in training new recruits.
A completion date for construction of the training facility has not been set, but Beshear says it could take a couple of years.
Photo courtesy of the City of Madisonville on Facebook