Tweeting Kansas Trooper wins international award

With more than 31,000 followers, Kansas Highway Patrol Trooper Ben Gardner — more commonly known as @TrooperBenKHP — has garnered a following from around the globe.

And while he started a Twitter account just three years ago with hopes of connecting to the Kansans he served, the account has helped him reach more people than he ever expected.

“Showcasing on Twitter is why I have as many followers I do – it’s the highs and lows I show all day, how much I love this uniform and how much I fear the day I retire from this uniform,” Gardner previously told the Eagle.

And now, his Twitter presence has earned him an award — an award that he believes validates what he thinks of when he thinks social media and law enforcement.

Gardner was named the winner of the Best International Account by Police Twitter Awards, an awards contest based out of the United Kingdom.

“To be able to build a bridge with the people I serve and to be able to reach people outside of my own state of Kansas but further than that has impacted my life and what this badge stands for,” Gardner said in his thank-you speech. “It is an honor to be a winner of this category.”

The awards contest aims to recognize the best of police tweeting accounts, as determined by those on Twitter. The panel who chose the three finalists for Best International Account considered specific feedback about each account, Twitter analytic data, the number of nominations received and the account’s value to the public.

Trooper Ben has been known for his constant reminders to #BuckleUp, #DriveSober and #SlowDown.

But his top tweet, according to the Police Twitter Awards?

That’s a reminder to look around your vehicle for animals before driving this winter.

“I’m going to continue with my day of looking for ways that I can serve and showcase the things that law enforcement do every day and to build that bridge further and broader and wider and farther than it is right now,” Gardner said.

This story was originally published November 24, 2017 at 10:45 AM with the headline "Tweeting Kansas Trooper wins international award."