The news of an officer killed in the line of duty hits every police department hard.

At the Criminal Justice Training Center in Richmond, they train for such a tragedy.

It is an unfortunate risk that every law enforcement officer must face: the possibility of being shot and killed in the line of duty. The names listed on the Kentucky Law Enforcement Memorial are testament to how often officers find themselves in harm's way.

That's a fact that doesn't escape the instructors at the Department of Criminal Justice. Officers come to Richmond from all over the commonwealth to take classes on what to do if the unthinkable happens.

"Behind every badge there's a human being," said instructor Jerry Huffman.

Instructors at the training center even deal with specific situations, like witnessing a fellow officer getting shot.

"He will feel guilty that, perhaps, I could have made a difference. Perhaps I could have changed things," said Huffman

A new program even brings the families of officers into the classrooms so they too can gain support.

Huffman says dealing with tragedy is never easy, but with a support system in place, officers and their families are better trained to cope with the situation.