In this episode of Bluegrass Beat, host Critley King-Smith and Andrea Hale, Kentucky Department of Criminal Justice Training Public Safety Dispatch Supervisor, discuss what it takes to be an effective public safety telecommunicator and how the Public Safety Dispatch Academy's new curriculum is preparing dispatchers for the realities of the job.
Read MoreIn this episode of the Bluegrass Beat, we explore how Kentucky 211 serves as a bridge between individuals, communities and critical resources. Host Critley King-Smith is joined by Roberta Steutermann, Vice President of Kentucky 211 with United Way, and Andrea Brown, State 211 Director and former Louisville Metro Police officer, to discuss what 211 is, how it works, and why it is an important tool for law enforcement and telecommunicators.
Read MoreThis month on the Bluegrass Beat, we look at Kentucky’s Roadside Oral Fluid Testing Program with Office of Highway Safety Federal Program Specialist Matt McCoy and Traffic Safety Resource Prosecutor Jenny True Reed. Listen as we discuss what the program is, how the rollout took place, how testing works, the legal side, and how to get involved.
Read MoreIn this episode of the Bluegrass Beat podcast, Kentucky Office of Homeland Security Executive Director Amy Hess joins us to discuss her agency’s role in keeping the Commonwealth safe and how it partners with local agencies to enhance public safety.
Read MoreIn this episode of Bluegrass Beat, host Critley King-Smith speaks with Pam Phipps, mother of Russell County Deputy Joshua Phipps, who was killed in the line of duty in 2024.
Read MoreIn this episode, we hear from Department of Financial Institutions Information Officer Tasha Stewart and take a closer look at the Stop Scams Initiative led by the Kentucky Public Protection Cabinet and its new partnership with the Kentucky State Police to better equip law enforcement agencies across the commonwealth.
Read MoreIn this episode of Bluegrass Beat, Jason Mike, Tactics Section Supervisor and Critical Skills Instructor at the Kentucky Department of Criminal Justice Training, explains why tactical medicine has become an essential skill in modern policing.
Read MoreCrime doesn’t stop at city or county lines — and effective public safety can’t either.
In this episode of the Bluegrass Beat, host Critley King Smith explores the Bluegrass and Central Kentucky Unified Police Protection System (BACKUPPS), a statewide cooperative program designed to help law enforcement agencies work together across jurisdictions.
Read MoreIn this first episode of 2026, Special Assistant Amy Hess discusses what can be expected from the Kentucky Department of Criminal Justice Training in the new year.
Read MoreIn this special episode of The Bluegrass Beat, host Critley King-Smith explores Project Heart Restart, an initiative working to place automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in every police cruiser across the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Hear how this mission is already saving lives, and why AED access in cruisers can change outcomes for families and communities across the state.
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