Bedford County's own Kristy Kelley was recently recognized by Gov. Bill Lee at a luncheon and awarded the Governor's Service in Excellence Award.
"To say I am honored is an understatement and to be considered for the award, let alone be a recipient, is way beyond anything this little country girl from Bedford County could have dreamed of or even thought possible," she told the T-G Thursday.
"Who knew the little Dairy Princess would one day be the Tennessee Law Enforcement Training Academy's Trackmaster and a recipient of the Governor's Excellence in Service Award. I am so very humbled. I have been blessed to be an instructor, now supervisor, at the Academy and it is truly an honor to be able to be a part of the journey for TLETA cadets. I am reminded daily of those who helped me along the way and helped pave the foundation for me to only achieve but excelle and more importantly believe in myself."
She added, "To my teachers at Cascade, my mentors and friends at Murfreesboro Police Department, my peers and supervisors at TLETA, and to my wonderful family (especially my mom, Diane Forbes, Sissy, and my grandparents, Dean and Dorothy, who always reminded me that I could) and so many others, I am forever indebted and will do my best to pay it forward. It is quite surreal really, it's amazing what you can accomplish if you believe you can. ... so very grateful,thankful and blessed."
Gov. Bill Lee said during the ceremony: "Tennessee’s most precious resource is its people, and that is evident through the high levels of passion, dedication, and excellence shown by our more than 40,000 state employees each day. I have seen first-hand that Tennessee has the most committed group of state employees in the country, and I am proud to be serving alongside them.
It is my distinct honor to continue the tradition of recognizing our state employees through the Governor’s Excellence in Service Awards. Those selected by their department’s leadership are at the forefront of transforming the way we deliver services across the state, and we cannot thank them enough for their commitment to making life better for every Tennessean."
Kristy currently serves as Supervisor 1 and as the Trackmaster of the Tennessee Law Enforcement Training Academy (TLETA) for the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance (TDCI).
In her role at the state’s premier law enforcement training academy, Kristy embodies the values of TLETA: trust, leadership, excellence, tradition, and adaptability. She demonstrates effective leadership in and outside of the walls at TLETA, and she has earned the trust of her fellow instructors, cadets, and academy leadership. She is consistently considered one of the top instructors at TLETA, and her commitment to the mission of TLETA and the success of cadets represents the best traditions of the institution.
Before beginning her career at TLETA in 2017, Kristy served in multiple capacities within the Murfreesboro Police Department. In her roles as a patrol officer and investigator, her work included combatting human trafficking and gambling. Kristy graduated from Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) in 2002 and is trained in domestic homicide investigation, burglary investigations, and crisis intervention. She holds instructor certifications in child sexual assault, crisis intervention, domestic violence, mental illness, and emergency vehicle operations.
