Kentucky State Police Commissioner P.J. Burnett, right, introduced former State Police Director Ted Bassett to the current class of KSP Cadets Monday morning. Bassett was visiting Trooper Island Camp, in Clinton County on Dale Hollow Lake, a free summer camp for young boys and girls from all across Kentucky. The current class of cadets are involved in training exercises this week at Trooper Island. Bassett, who is 100 years old, envisioned the camp for Kentucky’s youth when he was Director of the KSP in the early 1960s.

Below left, Trooper Island Camp Director KSP Trooper Jonathan Biven, escorted Bassett to the cabin currently being renovated that will be named the Ted Bassett Cabin.

former Kentucky State Police Director, pays a visit to the camp he conceived

Ted Bassett has a host of titles in his long resume; World War II decorated Marine officer, former president and chairman of the board of Keeneland, and a former Director of the Kentucky State Police, a position now referred to as Commissioner.

As the Director of the Kentucky State Police, one of Bassett’s proudest accomplishments was the vision and eventually the founding, of the youth camp operated by that organization right here in Clinton County – Trooper Island Camp.

On Monday morning, Bassett made a visit to the youth camp that was built on Dale Hollow Lake on the idea he had for the facility before that first camping season was held in 1965.

“This sure has come a long way from that first year of camp we had when we were using pup tents set up,” Bassett told the Clinton County News Monday morning as he looked around at the facilities and building that are in place on Trooper Island some 57 years after that first camping year.

While on the Island Monday, he spoke briefly to the 38 members of the current Kentucky State Police Cadet Class who are currently undergoing training there as a part of their instructional period prior to graduating as the newest group of sworn KSP Troopers.

Current KSP Commissioner P.J. Burnett introduced Bassett to the group of cadets and KSP Academy staff on hand, pointing out that the former Director was responsible for seeing that the KSP uniform forever included the felt and straw hats still in use today, referred to as campaign hats.

“I didn’t want the Kentucky State Police to be wearing some kind of cowboy hat like a Texas Ranger,” Bassett said with a sarcastic tone in his voice.

Bassett was also responsible for coining the phrase “The Thin Gray Line” that is currently used constantly by the Kentucky State Police.

“There is a thin line between the lawful, and the lawless, and the Kentucky State Police is that ‘thin gray line,’” Bassett repeated to the cadet class Monday morning.

Also while on Trooper Island Monday, Bassett was escorted by Camp Director KSP Trooper Jonathan Biven, to the site of one of the original dorm cabins that is currently being remodeled and when completed, will be known as the Ted Bassett Cabin.

Bassett, who is looking forward to his 101st birthday next month, ended his talk with the KSP cadets, reminding them that they are always on call, are always in the public view, and above all “Service, before self.”