Kentucky Highway Patrol

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
PatrolmanJames Powell Hays12-21-1935Shot and killed along with Patrolman Robert Rowland while questioning 2 brothers about a stolen vehicle; Rowland died due to injuries the following day38Franklin, Kentucky
PatrolmanRobert Rowland12-22-1935Shot 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 later52Franklin, Kentucky
CaptainVernon C. Snellen02-20-1937Killed 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 survived41On the Lexington Pike in Scott County, Kentucky
PatrolmanMose Hurt Littrell03-14-1938Shot 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 day47On East Highway 80 near Sand Gap, Kentucky
PatrolmanHouston Greene05-18-1944Shot and killed during an ambush while walking out of a drug store47Pineville, Kentucky
PatrolmanVadas G. Richardson10-07-1944Shot and killed while attempting to help a stopped car off the side of the road33On Highway 25 near London, Kentucky

See also

References
  1. "History of the Kentucky State Police". Kentucky State Police. Archived from the original on 2006-12-06. Retrieved 2011-04-19.
  2. 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.


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