16.050 Appointment and compensation of personnel -- Department of Kentucky State Police Personnel Board -- Organization, duties, and compensation -- Repayment of training costs

16.050 Appointment and compensation of personnel -- Department of Kentucky

State Police Personnel Board -- Organization, duties, and compensation --

Repayment of training costs.

(1) The commissioner shall appoint or promote to the ranks and grades and positions of

the department such officers as are considered by him or her to be necessary for the

efficient administration of the department. The Kentucky State Police shall conduct

a biennial salary survey, and the findings of the salary survey shall be included in

the department's budget request submitted to the Kentucky General Assembly.

(2) All initial appointments of officers to the department shall be made for merit and

fitness after a competitive examination.

(3) There is created a Department of Kentucky State Police Personnel Board consisting

of the commissioner and four (4) other members to be appointed by the Governor,

two (2) to be appointed from each of the two (2) major political parties.

(4) The initial appointment of members of the board shall be for terms of one (1), two

(2), three (3), and four (4) years. Thereafter each appointment shall be for a term of

four (4) years, except that a person appointed to fill a vacancy occurring prior to the

expiration of a term shall be appointed for the remainder of that term.

(5) Members of the board may be removed by the Governor only for cause, after being

given a copy of charges against them and an opportunity to be heard publicly on

such charges before the Governor.

(6) The board shall elect one (1) of its members chairman. It shall meet at such time

and place as shall be specified by call of the commissioner. Three (3) members

shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. Members of the board

other than the commissioner shall receive compensation of fifty dollars ($50) and

reimbursement of travel expenses for each meeting of the board which they attend.

(7) The board shall promulgate administrative regulations to carry out the purposes

herein, which shall include provisions for:

(a) Open competitive examination as to fitness of applicants for employment as

officers; and

(b) Establishment of eligible lists as a result of such competitive examinations,

from which lists vacancies shall be filled.

(8) The board shall hear appeals from applicants for employment for which

examinations are being given or have been conducted and from eligibles on

examination registers subject to the procedural rules which the board may adopt

pursuant to the provisions of this section.

(9) (a) A Cadet Trooper appointed on or after June 29, 2023, shall agree in writing

that if, within five (5) years of completing the basic training course offered by

the department, he or she accepts employment as a peace officer with another

law enforcement agency, or accepts employment with another type of agency

or entity in a position that requires law enforcement training to meet the

qualifications for the position, he or she will repay to the department the cost

incurred by the department in providing training to the officer to the extent

repayment has not been made by the agency with which the officer accepts

employment under paragraph (b) or (c) of this subsection.

(b) If the officer accepts employment as a peace officer with another state agency

or a state university or educational institution within Kentucky within three

(3) years of completing the basic training course offered by the department,

the agency, university, or educational institution shall reimburse the

department for costs incurred in providing training to the officer.

(c) If the officer accepts employment with a city, county, or other local law

enforcement agency within Kentucky within five (5) years of completing the

basic training course offered by the department, KRS 70.290 shall apply as

well.