
(Picture Source: Hopkins County Schools/Facebook)
Hopkins County Schools is introducing a new Law and Public Safety Pathway at both high schools, offering students hands-on training for careers in law enforcement, legal services, corrections, fire, emergency medical services, and security.
In a written statement, Madisonville North Hopkins instructor Nick Rice said one of the biggest surprises in his transition from law enforcement to teaching has been realizing that what he enjoys most in being in the classroom is sharing his knowledge and experiences with students and watching them develop a passion for the subject.
School officials say Rice joined the Kentucky State Police in 2004, serving at Post 2 Madisonville as a trooper, accident reconstructionist, and sergeant before retiring in May 2025.
According to school officials, Hopkins County Central High instructor John Komar, who is already familiar to students, has served as their school resource officer for the past five years.
Komar says he’s excited to join the new Law Enforcement Pathway, calling it a valuable stepping stone for students interested in law enforcement or related fields, and a way to inspire new career interests.
Komar is a U.S. Army veteran with multiple overseas deployments and four years as an instructor at the Army Intelligence Center in Fort Huachuca, AZ. Since 1999, he has served in law enforcement as a Kentucky State Trooper and with the Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office.
School officials explain that the pathway, a four-year program, begins with the Foundations of Justice and Public Safety course, and will include additional classes in Law Enforcement, Criminal Investigations and Forensics, as well as Constitutional and Criminal Law.
They say students will explore the roles of investigators and the process. They will also take part in hands-on projects that will simulate the entire process—from receiving the first call, to making an arrest, and even holding a mock trial.
