Kentucky State Police comes under fire for training slideshow that features Hitler quote stating that the 'regular employment of violence' is 'essential for success'
Kentucky State Police are under fire after it was revealed they featured an Adolf Hitler quote in one of their training slideshows.
According to an investigation by Manual Red Eye, the quotation was included in a presentation called 'The Warrior Mindset' shown to new recruits prior to 2014.
The quote comes from Hitler's anti-Semitic 1925 political manifesto Mein Kampf, and states: 'The very first essential for success is a perpetually constant and regular employment of violence'.
It was included in a slide titled 'Violence of Action', which also implores officers to 'Be the loving father, spouse, and friend as well as the ruthless killer'.
The Kentucky State Police are under fire after it was revealed they featured an Adolf Hitler quote in one of their training slideshows. The slideshow has not been used since 2013
According to an investigation by Manual Red Eye, the quotation was included in a presentation called 'The Warrior Mindset', which was shown to new recruits prior to 2014
The 33-page slideshow also features quotes from a variety of other well-known historical figures, including Confederate General Robert Lee.
Quotations from The Bible and fictional characters, such as Batman, also appear.
The troubling inclusion of Hitler's quote was uncovered by a local attorney who requested the Kentucky State Police hand over materials used to train a detective involved in a police shooting.
KSP spokesperson Joshua Lawson told Manual Red Eye he 'didn't know' how many times the slideshow was used.
Morgan Hall, the Communications Director for the Kentucky Justice & Public Safety Cabinet, says the slideshow has not been shown to officers for at least seven years.
She said in a statement: 'It is unacceptable that this material was ever included in the training of law enforcement. Our administration does not condone the use of this material.
'The material is not currently a part of any training materials and was removed in 2013.'
As of 2017, the Kentucky State Police employed 866 troopers stationed at 16 different posts across the state
Kentucky Governer Andy Beshear denounced the slideshow on Friday, saying: 'This is absolutely unacceptable. It is further unacceptable that I just learned about this through social media. We will collect all the facts and take immediate corrective action.'
Congressman John Yarmuth, who represents Kentucky's 3rd District, took to Twitter blasting: ' I am angry. As a Kentuckian, I am angry and embarrassed. And as a Jewish American, I am genuinely disturbed that there are people like this who not only walk among us, but who have been entrusted to keep us safe. There needs to be consequences.'
He added: 'And don't give us the 'it's a few bad apples' excuse. This is a poisonous culture that has gotten too many innocent people harassed and killed, and we refuse to stand for it any longer.'
The revelation about the quote comes as police departments across the country are under fire for explicit and implicit racial bias following the May shooting death of George Floyd.
Critics have also accused cops of also deploying unnecessarily aggressive tactics and needlessly resorting to violence - making the KSP's slide about being a 'ruthless killer' all the more alarming.
As of 2017, the Kentucky State Police employed 866 troopers stationed at 16 different posts across the state.
Kentucky Governer Andy Beshear denounced the slideshow on Friday, saying in a statement: 'This is absolutely unacceptable'