On June 5, Gov. Andy Beshear joined law enforcement officials and family members to pay tribute to 10 Kentucky officers who lost their lives in the line of duty.

“When we add a name to the law enforcement memorial, it's more than an act of duty; it's a promise from a grateful commonwealth that these officers who died protecting our safety will never to be forgotten,” Gov. Beshear said. “The memory of those we honor today, as well as the additional 589 officers listed on the monument, inspires us to be better, to do more and to strive to live up to the incredibly high standards of service and sacrifice they set.”

Kentucky’s Law Enforcement Memorial Monument holds the names of 599 men and women heroes who have died in the line of duty since 1845 after adding today’s 10 officers.

This year’s ceremony honored:

Winchester Police Department Sergeant William “Marty” Jackson, end of watch April 14, 2024. Sgt. Jackson suffered a fatal heart attack after arresting a subject for disorderly conduct, public intoxication and resisting arrest.
Russell County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Joshua Phipps, end of watch Sept. 16, 2024. Deputy Phipps was shot and killed while pursuing a fleeing suspect in Russell Springs.

Additionally, eight historical honorees will be added to the monument this year. They are:

James Bowlin, Whitley County Sheriff’s Office, end of watch Dec. 4, 1932
David Branham, Whitley County Sheriff’s Office, end of watch June 8, 1901
William Byrd, U.S. Marshal, end of watch Jan. 16, 1897
Carlo Jones, Whitley County Sheriff’s Office, end of watch Sept. 24, 1909
William Sadler, Whitley County Sheriff’s Office, end of watch Feb. 29, 1892
James Short, U.S. Marshal, end of watch May 26, 1923
George Smiddy, Whitley County Sheriff’s Office, end of watch May 13, 1926
James Smith, Barbourville Police Department, end of watch Oct. 25, 1967

During today's ceremony, Chelsi Hamilton spoke about her late husband, Pikeville Police Officer Scotty Hamilton, who was killed in the line of duty in March 2018.

“My husband loved his job, he loved his badge, but more than that, he loved the people he served,” Hamilton said. “I remember all the late-night calls, the questions and the requests for help. No matter how tired he was, he showed up. That was just him; always showing up, always putting others before him.”

The following individuals and groups participated in today’s ceremony: Lexington Police Department Honor Guard, Department of Criminal Justice Training Instructor Josh McFarland; Midway Baptist Church Pastor Dr. Jerry Huffman; Pikeville Police Department Honor Guard; Maysville Police Department Major Chris Conley; Kentucky Law Enforcement Council Supervisor Eric Garner; Fayette County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Will Young; Louisville Police Pipes and Drums.

The Beshear-Coleman administration’s top priority is the safety of all Kentuckians. The Governor's public safety actions are creating safer communities and a better Kentucky.

Recently, Gov. Andy Beshear was joined by members of the Cash family, the Kentucky law enforcement community and the Department of Criminal Justice Training to officially open the doors to the new law enforcement training facility named in honor of Jody Cash, who lost his life in the line of duty May 16, 2022, while serving as chief deputy of the Calloway County Sheriff’s Office. The Beshear administration broke ground on the Jody Cash Multipurpose Training Facility in July 2023. The facility is a 42,794-square-foot facility with a 50-yard, 30-lane firing range designed for officers to learn intensive and specialized training that will support training all of Kentucky’s law enforcement agencies.

On Feb. 28, the Beshear-Coleman administration welcomed the first basic training academy class to Western Kentucky. For the first time since basic training became mandatory in 1998, Kentucky is simultaneously offering training in two locations. The Department of Criminal Justice Training will train officers in a building provided by the Madisonville Police Department while Team Kentucky constructs a $50 million multipurpose training facility in Madisonville.

Since taking office, Gov. Beshear has awarded nearly $12 million in grant funding to assist state and local law enforcement agencies with enhancing public and officer safety, curbing the sale of illegal drugs and fighting addiction.

At the beginning of his second term, the Governor proposed a $500 increase to the law enforcement annual training stipend, but the General Assembly chose to provide a combined $262 increase over the next two years. The budget signed by the Governor raises the training stipend to an all-time high of $4,562 by fiscal year 2026. Additionally, the Governor is providing part-time law enforcement officers with an annual training stipend for the first time in the history of the commonwealth.

About the Kentucky Law Enforcement Memorial Foundation:

The Kentucky Law Enforcement Memorial Foundation seeks to recognize all Kentucky peace officers who have given their lives in service to the commonwealth.

The memorial foundation was established in 1999 to build a monument recognizing Kentucky officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice. Once the monument was completed in 2000, the organization expanded its efforts to include an ongoing financial endowment program, which helps officers and their families with educational, medical and emergency needs.

Gov. Beshear Honors 10 Fallen Law Enforcement Officers at Annual Kentucky Law Enforcement Memorial Foundation Ceremony