LEXINGTON, Kentucky — Kentucky State Police honored 84 troopers, detectives and officers whose work during 2025 included lifesaving action, valor, investigations and public service, the agency announced after its annual Sworn Awards Ceremony.

Among those recognized were 22 troopers who received a Citation for Bravery for their response after devastating tornadoes struck Kentucky on May 16, 2025. According to the Kentucky State Police release published July 23, 2026, those troopers performed search-and-rescue work, delivered medical assistance and helped evacuate residents from damaged homes.

Twenty-two troopers recognized for tornado response

The agency said Troopers Chris Branham, Joshua Lawson, Jason Napier, Steve Raines, CJ Rice, Chris Roberts, Shane Wilson, Stephen Holland, Brandon McNew, Tyler Morris, Austin Reynolds, Matthew Short, Marcus White, Corey Baker, Jordan Reed, Caleb Sites, Daniel Saylor, Austin Sizemore, Ben Graves, Joseph Smith, Patrick Zalone and Derek Dennis were among the personnel who moved into damaged areas during the emergency.

KSP said their actions helped save lives and reflected courage and dedication under dangerous conditions. The National Weather Service in Jackson, Kentucky, maintains an official event review of the Somerset-London tornado and the wider severe-weather outbreak that day.

ThinBlueNews is keeping the focus on the documented emergency response. This report does not add casualty details, property-loss estimates or individual rescue claims beyond what the official KSP release attributes to the group.

Agencywide awards highlighted courage and service

The ceremony covered a wide range of law-enforcement work across the commonwealth. KSP said its personnel responded to 532,600 calls for assistance in 2025, while also conducting wellness checks during dangerous weather, investigating crimes against children, assisting other agencies and carrying out daily public-safety duties.

Trooper David Cardenas received the Trooper of the Year Award. KSP said Cardenas investigated more than 200 cases during 2025 and rescued a person from a burning vehicle.

Detective Brian Reeder received the Detective of the Year Award for investigative work that, according to KSP, led to four convictions and a combined sentence of 140 years. ThinBlueNews is not expanding on those cases because the awards release does not provide the case records needed for a fuller independent account.

Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Officer Travis Arnett was named Jason Cammack CVE Officer of the Year, while CVE Inspector David King received the Inspector of the Year Award. Detective Justin Howard received the Ernie Bivens Award, which the agency presents to a trooper who demonstrates leadership, professionalism and character.

Recognition tied to documented public-safety work

Awards ceremonies can become long lists of names, but this year's KSP recognition includes a clear public-safety record: troopers entered tornado-damaged communities, helped search for people, rendered medical assistance and moved residents out of unsafe homes.

It also recognizes the less visible parts of statewide police work—investigations, commercial-vehicle enforcement, training, wellness checks and assistance to local agencies—that rarely receive the same public attention as emergency rescues.

Readers can find more verified public-safety coverage in ThinBlueNews' police hero stories, police rescue news, first responder news and hometown heroes coverage.

Sources reviewed

Editorial note: ThinBlueNews based this original report on official Kentucky State Police and National Weather Service material. The featured image uses a real KSP ceremony photo with clear attribution and a factual overlay; it does not depict the tornado response itself. No video was needed because this is an awards-and-recognition story, not a video-led incident report.