Kentucky: Justice & Public Safety Cabinet

Portrait of KSP Commissioner Adams Ernie Fletcher, Governor of Commonwealth of Kentucky, appointed John (Jack) Adams on July 13, 2006, to serve as Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police. Until his appointment, Jack Adams was employed by Kentucky Office of Insurance as an Insurance Fraud Investigation Supervisor and Acting Director of the Fraud Division. He served 22 years as a member of the Kentucky State Police, retiring as a major in 1993.

During his tenure with the department he performed a variety of functions from road trooper, field supervisor, post commander and was a member of Commissioner’s staff and vital in the formation and selection of the Kentucky State Police Centralized Special Response Team.

Adams is an honor graduate of the University of Louisville, Southern Police Institute, and Administrative Officer’s Course. He also attended Penn State University studying at the Police Executive Development Institute. In addition to his law enforcement service, Commissioner Adams, a Vietnam Veteran of the United States Army, served in the Army Security Agency, and spent three years abroad during his active duty.

As the Chief Executive for the Department, Adams oversees over 40 separate operations within the 1,700-person agency. With an annual operating budget exceeding $140 million dollars, the State Police is the only full-service statewide law enforcement agency in Kentucky.

Commissioner John (Jack) Adams