Kentucky Highway Patrol

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Kentucky Highway Patrol
Flag of Kentucky
Flag of Kentucky
AbbreviationKHP
Agency overview
Formed1936
DissolvedJuly 1, 1948
Superseding agencyKentucky State Police
Jurisdictional structure
Operations jurisdictionKentucky, USA
Size40,434 square miles (104,720 km2)
Legal jurisdictionAs per operations jurisdiction
General nature
  • Civilian police

Kentucky Highway Patrol was founded in 1936 when the Division of Highway Patrol was created as a part of the Kentucky State Highway Department.[1][2] The Highway Patrol began with 40 officers who enforced traffic laws on Kentucky roads.[1][2] By 1948 the Kentucky Highway Patrol had 200 officers.[1]

The 1939-40 Police Blue Book published by the International Association of Chiefs of Police listed 146 employees, 56 patrol cars, and 21 motorcycles for the Kentucky Highway Patrol.[3]

On July 1, 1948, the Kentucky Highway Patrol was abolished due to the passage of the State Police Act, which was promoted by Governor Earle C. Clements. The Kentucky Highway Patrol was replaced by the Kentucky State Police, a new agency whose officers had full police powers, not limited to traffic laws.[1][2] The new Kentucky State Police inherited the officers and equipment of the Kentucky Highway Patrol.[1]

Fallen officers[]

Six officers died in the line of duty during the Kentucky Highway Patrol's 12-year history.[4]

Rank Name Date of Death Cause of Death Age Location
Patrolman James Powell Hays 12-21-1935 Shot and killed along with Patrolman Robert Rowland while questioning 2 brothers about a stolen vehicle; Rowland died due to injuries the following day 38 Franklin, Kentucky
Patrolman Robert Rowland 12-22-1935 Shot along with Patrolman James Powell Hays while questioning 2 brothers about a stolen vehicle; Hays was killed immediately while Rowland succumbed to his injuries a day later 52 Franklin, Kentucky
Captain Vernon C. Snellen 02-20-1937 Killed while riding with Lieutenant Ed Blue; the car's accelator got stuck and went into oncoming lanes on the wet road, the Lieutenant and all occupants of the other car survived 41 On the Lexington Pike in Scott County, Kentucky
Patrolman Mose Hurt Littrell 03-14-1938 Shot and killed while off-duty; Littrell attempted to arrest a drunk man on the side of the interstate on 03-13-1938; he succumbed to his injuries the following day 47 On East Highway 80 near Sand Gap, Kentucky
Patrolman Houston Greene 05-18-1944 Shot and killed during an ambush while walking out of a drug store 47 Pineville, Kentucky
Patrolman Vadas G. Richardson 10-07-1944 Shot and killed while attempting to help a stopped car off the side of the road 33 On Highway 25 near London, Kentucky

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d e "History of the Kentucky State Police". Kentucky State Police. Archived from the original on 2006-12-06. Retrieved 2011-04-19.
  2. ^ a b c Kleber, John E., ed. (1992). "Kentucky State Police". The Kentucky Encyclopedia. Associate editors: Thomas D. Clark, Lowell H. Harrison, and James C. Klotter. Lexington, Kentucky: The University Press of Kentucky. ISBN 0-8131-1772-0.
  3. ^ The Police Blue Book 1939-40. International Association of Chiefs of Police. 1939. p. 72 – via archive.org.
  4. ^ "Kentucky Highway Patrol, KY". The Officer Down Memorial Page (ODMP). Retrieved 2016-09-30.

External links[]


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