Kentucky Highway Patrol

Kentucky Highway Patrol
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

The 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]

  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.