© 2024 WUKY
background_fid.jpg
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Lexington Police Seek Public Comment In Accreditation Process

Josh James
/
WUKY

Lexington residents will have an opportunity to weigh in on the Lexington Police Department in August.

The opinion-gathering is part of a review conducted by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement, or CALEA. The organization, created by a variety of national and international police groups, conducts an assessment of police departments every three years to see how well they match up to a long list of mandatory and voluntary safety, management, and non-discrimination standards.

Sergeant Ann Welch heads up the program for the Lexington Police Department.

"It deals with everything from 'do our officers wear protective vests and when and how is that mandated, how is that vest provided' all the way to 'what type of input do we have on, for instance, our public information policy, do we have public input, do we have media input,'" she says.

While unrelated to the recent spate of high-profile shootings involving police that have prompted reviews of law enforcement in other states, the assessment will be a chance for the community to voice their thoughts on the department's services. Lexington police have been accredited under the program since 1993.

CALEA will be accepting comments at 859-258-3664 on August 7 and during an in-person meeting at the Government Center on August 8.

Josh James fell in love with college radio at Western Kentucky University's student station, New Rock 92 (now Revolution 91.7). After working as a DJ and program director, he knew he wanted to come home to Lexington and try his hand in public radio.
Related Content