In a study of the best and worst states for police officers, Kentucky has ranked 47th or the fifth worst in the country.

Each state was ranked using a 100-point score system and Kentucky's score was 38.46. The Commonwealth ranked last in "opportunity and competition". Here are some other stats from the WalletHub study.

Life & Work for Cops in Kentucky (1=Best; 25=Avg.)

  • 47th – Law-Enforcement Officers per Capita
  • 38th – Median Income for Law-Enforcement Officers (Adjusted for Cost of Living)
  • 40th – Median Income Growth for Law-Enforcement Officers
  • 22nd – % of Homicide Cases Solved
  • 51st – State & Local Police-Protection Expenses per Capita
  • 20th – Property-Crime Rate
  • 44th – Police Deaths per 1,000 Officers

Law enforcement officers include police, sheriff's patrol officers, detectives, and criminal investigators.

Indiana ranked 17th and Illinois ranked 4th.

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