COLUMBIA, Ky. (August 9, 2025) — Saturday, the Kentucky State Police (KSP) honored 14 civilian employees for their dedication to enhancing public safety. Awards presented included the 2024 Civilian of the Year, Career Achievement, Police Communications Support, Supervisor of the Year and more. Trooper Island Camp Mechanical Maintenance and Operations Supervisor, Jeff Brown, of Albany, was among those recipients.
KSP’s 800 civilian employees serve in a variety of roles, from telecommunications, maintenance and driver testing to information technology, public relations and records support.
KSP Commissioner Phillip Burnett Jr. echoed those sentiments during today’s ceremony and praised the dedication of the agency’s civilian employees.
“Civilian personnel are vital to the success of this agency,” Commissioner Burnett said. “They are the agency’s trusted partners working hand in hand with our troopers and officers, supporting everything from frontline response to long-term casework. Their dedication and loyalty do not go unnoticed.”
“Jeff is a tremendous asset to Trooper Island and is pivotal to keeping the camp operations running smoothly.” Master Trooper Scott Ferrell, Trooper Island Camp Commander, said. “Jeff has been a fixture at Trooper Island for many years and is great while interacting with the children that attend camp every summer.”
Commissioner Burnett presented Jeff Brown with the 2024 Career Achievement Award. Brown has been with KSP for 27 years, all of which have been served at Trooper Island Camp. To put this into perspective, he has been around for more than 45% of Trooper Island’s 60-year history. Brown’s passion for Trooper Island is evident through his efforts to improve the camp. He has assisted with constructing, rebuilding or remodeling every building on Trooper Island today, including the cafeteria, chapel, cabins and in-ground pool. His support of Trooper Island has impacted an estimated 17,000 campers since 1998.
Among this year’s honorees, Jeremy Triplett was named the 2024 Civilian of the Year. A 24-year veteran, Triplett was recently appointed as KSP’s forensic laboratory director. In 2024, Triplett led a major $300,000 upgrade of the BEAST Laboratory Information Management System, maintained the laboratory’s national accreditation and was awarded the Distinguished Service Award by the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors Academy.
The complete list of the KSP 2024 civilian employee awards includes:
Administrative Services Award
Donnie Webster, Event Coordinator I, Public Affairs Branch
Career Achievement Award
Jeff Brown, Mechanical Maintenance and Operations Supervisor, Trooper Island Camp
Commercial Vehicle Support Award
Brandon Arwood, Inspector I, Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Central Region
Drivers Testing Award
Christy Eatmon, Certified Driver’s Test Examiner, Driver Testing Branch
Forensic Services Support Award
Kim Rogers, Forensic Scientist Specialist II, Central Laboratory Branch
Information Technology Award
Laurie Buchanan, Justice Program Administrator, Electronic Crime Branch
Police Communication Support Award
Carole Waldrop, Public Safety Telecommunicator II, Post 3, Bowling Green
Brittany Scroggins, Public Safety Telecommunicator III, Post 6, Dry Ridge
Christopher Taylor, Public Safety Telecommunicator III, Post 13, Hazard
Post Operations Support Award
Mike Johnson, Maintenance Worker, Post 1, Mayfield
Adam Wilson, Criminal Intelligence Analyst, Intelligence Branch
Records Technical Support
Michael Vanatta, Grants Administrator, Division of Records Management
Supervisor of the Year Award
Jeremy Triplett, Forensic Laboratory Director, KSP Forensic Laboratory System
Supplies Properties Management
Misty Stone, Facilities Maintenance Worker, KSP Headquarters
The agency is recruiting interested individuals who have an ambition of creating a better, safer commonwealth for future generations. For more information and to apply, click here.
For more information about KSP’s commitment to creating a better Kentucky by making the commonwealth’s streets safer, communities stronger, and the nation more secure by providing exceptional law enforcement, click here.
Identification (left to right): KSP Commissioner Phillip Burnett Jr., Jeff Brown and Justice and Public Safety Cabinet Secretary Keith Jackson
(Trooper Jonathan Houk – Kentucky State Police)