Beshear proposes salary, pension changes for Kentucky state troopers ahead of FOP vote

Months from Kentucky's 2024 legislative session and amid an intensifying governor's race, Gov. Andy Beshear unveiled his budget priorities for law enforcement on Wednesday morning.

Among the ideas pitched in the governor's official capacity:

• Moving all state law enforcement officers to traditional defined benefit pension plans (State police, County Employees-Hazardous and Kentucky Employees-Hazardous), increasing pension income for retired troopers and local jurisdictions in those plans.

• Increasing salaries for state troopers by $2,500 and training stipends for local officers (plus making part-time local officers eligible for the stipend).

• Providing more funding for body armor.

“Our law enforcement officers dedicate their lives to protecting others. They deserve the best wages, benefits and training, and that is exactly what my budget includes,” Beshear said. “Investing in our law enforcement is critical to building that better Kentucky and making the commonwealth the safest place for our families to live and prosper.”

Wednesday's announcement is the first in a rolling series of budget proposal pitches, Beshear said. It is uncommon for Kentucky's governor to unveil budget priorities so far ahead of the legislative session, Beshear noted, but he felt it was necessary after the GOP-dominated legislature presented its own budget before the governor was able to share his recommendations during the last budget cycle - a break with tradition.

The governor's office said in a statement that the proposal builds on the a $15,000 per year pay bump he signed into law in 2022, as well as a 6.5% raise these employees received at the beginning of last month.

Beshear's campaign also dropped two new ads Tuesday focused on law enforcement.

Both gubernatorial candidates have made a point of touting support for and from law enforcement as the governor's race heats up. Beshear's opponent, Republican Attorney General Daniel Cameron, shared his public safety plan last month.

Cameron's plan includes awarding recruitment and retention bonuses to bolster police forces and calling for tougher penalties against drug traffickers found responsible for causing deaths in Kentucky.

He also proposed requiring that prosecutors pursue the death penalty against anyone convicted of murdering a police officer. As for police accountability, Cameron said civilian review boards should be blocked from obtaining subpoena power.

The state FOP is expected to announce its endorsement in the governor's race next week.

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Beshear proposes salary, pension changes for Kentucky state troopers.

Reach Olivia Krauth at okrauth@courierjournal.com and on Twitter at @oliviakrauth.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Beshear: 2024 budget proposal would include state trooper raises