Remember everyone, when you work for a Sheriff's Department and it is election time you are expected to support the current Sheriff to the nth degree. Believe me I have heard horror stories about not only support, but time, donations to the campaign, etc. It is a completely unfair situation to put a law enforcement officer in.

There are a few counties in Kentucky that have adopted the deputy sheriff merit board. If all counties where required to do so this would protect those deputies from the political firings that go in on this state every four years. Without the merit board protection this costs taxpayers millions every four years. But most sheriffs do not want to give up their power to hire and fire. Merit boards are the answer. just my opinion.

I think I mispoke and need to clarify something. Now that I recall, wasn't Kidwell appointed to the position to fill out the remainder of John Dunn's term after he retired? So he is a computer repair guy who happened to be the head of the CCRP and was appointed by Pendery - an R, with no qualifications whatsoever. Please don't tell me that being a constable made him qualified to be sheriff either. If appointments are going to go like that, I'd prefer the office stay an elected position.

Why does Campbell have both a police and sheriff department?

There are a few counties in Kentucky that have adopted the deputy sheriff merit board. If all counties where required to do so this would protect those deputies from the political firings that go in on this state every four years. Without the merit board protection this costs taxpayers millions every four years. But most sheriffs do not want to give up their power to hire and fire. Merit boards are the answer. just my opinion.

 

Thanks for that additional.

 

Do you know which major counties have adopted the sheriff merit board?

Why does Campbell have both a police and sheriff department?

 

Different roles/responsibilities.

Different roles/responsibilities.

 

I've always wondered why it wouldn't be more efficent to merge the departments and responsibilities in counties that have both. Government would save money on leadership pay.

They would have to merge with the Sheriff's office unless the constitution was changed. Sheriff Constitutionally has to collect property taxes and provide court security neither of which local police departments can or will do.

They would have to merge with the Sheriff's office unless the constitution was changed. Sheriff Constitutionally has to collect property taxes and provide court security neither of which local police departments can or will do.

 

I'm a business man and I look for ways to make things efficent. They don't do those things now but it could be changed by ammendment.

I'm a business man and I look for ways to make things efficent. They don't do those things now but it could be changed by ammendment.

True.

 

I think the biggest problem in combining them in a larger county (area wise) such as the one that I live in is that the number of officers total on the road at any given time would be cut for "Efficiency" sake. Our deputies currently are answering calls where their backup may be 15 to 20 miles away out crooked county roads. Any further reduction in staff for efficiency could really put officers at risk.

 

By having once dept assigned to the county and one to the city you actually get more efficient coverage than you would if combined. Just my opinion based on how LE seems to work.

True.

 

I think the biggest problem in combining them in a larger county (area wise) such as the one that I live in is that the number of officers total on the road at any given time would be cut for "Efficiency" sake. Our deputies currently are answering calls where their backup may be 15 to 20 miles away out crooked county roads. Any further reduction in staff for efficiency could really put officers at risk.

 

By having once dept assigned to the county and one to the city you actually get more efficient coverage than you would if combined. Just my opinion based on how LE seems to work.

Boone County merged several years ago.

Boone County merged several years ago.

 

What merged? There is still Boone Co Sheriff, Florence Police, Walton Police...

Are there no Police Depts in Boone Co? Just a Sheriff's Office?

Florence has a police department in addition to the Sheriff and that's it.

Florence has a police department in addition to the Sheriff.

 

So what merged?

So what merged?

The county police and the sheriff department merged.

 

So what merged?

 

In some counties they have county police and sheriff's departments.

 

Based on my limited knowledge in those counties, the county police are the primary law enforcement for the county while the sheriff's office serves papers and does court security.

 

Kenton and Campbell have both still. Boone used to but they merged all into the sheriff's office.