Bluegrass Beat

Louisville’s haunted locations are known for mysterious figures, unexplained encounters and stories passed down through generations. But beyond the legends, these places can present real challenges for law enforcement and provide valuable lessons in officer safety, risk assessment, and responding to unusual calls for service.
In this episode of Bluegrass Beat, we visit some of Louisville’s most talked-about locations, including Waverly Hills, Eastern Cemetery, the Seelbach Hotel, Sauerkraut Cave and the infamous Pope Lick Trestle. History buff and attorney Shawn Herron with the Louisville Metro Police Training Academy helps explore how these stories became part of Louisville’s identity, while Officer John Keeling brings the conversation back to the realities of police work.
How do officers assess a scene when a caller reports something unusual? What hazards should they recognize at locations with restricted access or dangerous surroundings? And how do training, sound judgment, and situational awareness help officers focus on what they can observe and verify rather than assumptions about what might be happening?
We also consider why people are willing to take risks to explore places they believe are haunted and what those choices can mean for public safety and the officers who may be called to respond.
Join us for an episode that connects Kentucky legends with practical lessons in law enforcement, officer safety, and the importance of making sound decisions in unpredictable situations. Because whether a call begins with a ghost story or something more ordinary, the fundamentals of police work remain the same: assess the situation, recognize the risks, and protect the public.
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ABOUT OUR GUESTS
SHAWN HERRON, LOUISVILLE METRO POLICE ACADEMY EXECUTIVE ADMINISTRATOR
Shawn Herron blends a unique blend of legal, law enforcement, public service and historical expertise to any project she touches. Her career has included serving as an Assistant Director of Law for Louisville, working with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, and spending 20 years with the Kentucky Department of Criminal Justice Training (DOCJT). Since 2021, she has served as an executive administrator at the Louisville Metro Police training academy.
A graduate of the University of Louisville School of Law, Herron is also an accomplished author and history enthusiast. She wrote The Alma Kellner Mystery, published by The History Press, and contributed to the documentary Revenge in the Mountains: The Murder of Chief Ambrose Metcalfe, available on Fawesome.
Herron is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Library and Information Science at the University of Kentucky, bringing her professional journey full circle through her passion for research, history and preserving the stories of the past.

JOHN KEELING, LOUISVILLE METRO POLICE OFFICER
Officer John Keeling has served with the Louisville Division of Police and Louisville Metro Police Department for more than 37 years. A graduate of duPont Manual High School in Louisville, Keeling was among the first sets of twins to join the department alongside his brother, Bill.
His family’s commitment to law enforcement continues today, with both his son and nephew serving as sergeants with the Louisville Metro Police Department. With decades of experience in policing, Keeling brings a seasoned perspective on public safety, human behavior and the real-world challenges officers face when responding to unusual situations.
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The Bluegrass Beat is recorded and produced by the Kentucky Department of Criminal Justice Training’s Public Information Office, a proud member of Team Kentucky.
Like what you hear? We appreciate everyone who takes the time to subscribe and rate this podcast.
Have a suggestion? Email host Critley King-Smith at critley.kingsmith@ky.gov to share feedback.
Music
"Rynos Theme “by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Sound Effects
Record Scratch by freesound_community from Pixabay

All episodes are edited for clarity and content.

When someone calls 911, help doesn't begin when the first responder arrives at the door. It begins with the person on the other end of the phone.
Public safety telecommunicators are often the first point of contact during someone's worst moments. They must gather critical information, make decisions under pressure, communicate with people in crisis, coordinate resources and, in some situations, provide lifesaving instructions while remaining calm and focused.
In this episode of Bluegrass Beat, host Critley King-Smith and Andrea Hale, Kentucky Department of Criminal Justice Training Public Safety Dispatch Supervisor, discuss what it takes to be an effective public safety telecommunicator and how the Public Safety Dispatch Academy's new curriculum is preparing dispatchers for the realities of the job.
Andrea explains the many roles a dispatcher must fill: detective, crisis communicator, multitasker, decision-maker, lifeline and more. They take a look at PSDA’s updated curriculum, what's changed and how the new training is designed to develop the skills dispatchers need in today's public safety environment.
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The Bluegrass Beat is recorded and produced by the Kentucky Department of Criminal Justice Training’s Public Information Office, a proud member of Team Kentucky.
Like what you hear? We appreciate everyone who takes the time to subscribe and rate this podcast.
Have a suggestion? Email host Critley King-Smith at critley.kingsmith@ky.gov to share feedback.
Music by Digital Juice and StackTraxx.
Sound Effects
• Phone ring by EdR from Pixabay
• Phone answer by freesound_community from Pixabay
All episodes are edited for clarity and content.

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When people think of emergency response, they often think of the number 911. But there is another important resource that can help connect Kentuckians with the support they need: 211.
In this episode of the Bluegrass Beat, we explore how Kentucky 211 serves as a bridge between individuals, communities and critical resources. Host Critley King-Smith is joined by Roberta Steutermann, Vice President of Kentucky 211 with United Way, and Andrea Brown, State 211 Director and former Louisville Metro Police officer, to discuss what 211 is, how it works, and why it is an important tool for law enforcement and telecommunicators.
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The Bluegrass Beat is recorded and produced by the Kentucky Department of Criminal Justice Training’s Public Information Office, a proud member of Team Kentucky.
Like what you hear? We appreciate everyone who takes the time to subscribe and rate this podcast.
Have a suggestion? Email host Critley King-Smith at critley.kingsmith@ky.gov to share feedback.
Music by Music for Creators from Pixabay.‍ ‍

This month on the Bluegrass Beat, we look at Kentucky’s Roadside Oral Fluid Testing Program with Office of Highway Safety Federal Program Specialist Matt McCoy and Traffic Safety Resource Prosecutor Jenny True Reed. Listen as we discuss what the program is, how the rollout took place, how testing works, the legal side, and how to get involved.
To learn more about the Kentucky Office of Highway Safety, click here.
For more information about the Kentucky Traffic Safety Resource Prosecutor, click here.
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The Bluegrass Beat is recorded and produced by the Kentucky Department of Criminal Justice Training’s Public Information Office, a proud member of Team Kentucky.
Like what you hear? We appreciate everyone who takes the time to subscribe and rate this podcast.
Have a suggestion? Email host Critley King-Smith at critley.kingsmith@ky.gov to share feedback.
Music by Music for Creators from Pixabay.‍ ‍

In this episode of the Bluegrass Beat podcast, Kentucky Office of Homeland Security Executive Director Amy Hess joins us to discuss her agency’s role in keeping the Commonwealth safe and how it partners with local agencies to enhance public safety.
ABOUT OUR GUEST
With nearly 35 years of experience in public safety, Amy Hess has held leadership roles across federal, state and local government. She currently serves as the executive director of the Kentucky Office of Homeland Security (KOHS). Before her role at KOHS, she served as a special assistant to Kentucky’s Department of Criminal Justice Training, after holding a similar position of executive advisor in the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet. As Chief of Public Safety for Louisville Metro Government, she played a key role in the city’s response to the coronavirus pandemic and civil unrest in 2020-2021. For 29 years before that, Ms. Hess was a Special Agent and senior executive in the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assignments in Kansas City, Louisville, Tucson, Afghanistan, Memphis, Quantico, and Washington, D.C. Her FBI career culminated with promotion to Special Agent in Charge of two field offices and Executive Assistant Director over two branches at FBI headquarters. She resides in Louisville and holds a degree in Aeronautical/Astronautical Engineering from Purdue University.
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The Bluegrass Beat is recorded and produced by the Kentucky Department of Criminal Justice Training’s Public Information Office, a proud member of Team Kentucky.
Like what you hear? We appreciate everyone who takes the time to subscribe and rate this podcast.
Have a suggestion? Email host Critley King-Smith at critley.kingsmith@ky.gov to share feedback.
Music by Music for Creators from Pixabay.‍ ‍