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2 PADUCAH POLICE ANNUAL REPORT 2022
A Message from
TABLE OF CONTENTS
A Message from Chief Brian Laird
Police Foundation
Command Staff
2022 Roster
Civilian and 911 Staff
Promotions and Retirements
Grants and Budget
Community Engagement
Operations Division
School Resource Officers
Crime Report
Collisions
Support Services Division
911 Communications Services Division
Radio Project
Training
Office of Professional Standards
Special Units
Military
Awards
Employee of the Year
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Mayor George P. Bray • Mayor Pro Tem Sandra Wilson • Commissioner Raynarldo Henderson
Commissioner David Guess • Commissioner Buz Smith • City Manager Daron Jordan
MAYOR & CITY COMMISSIONERS
PADUCAH POLICE ANNUAL REPORT 2022 3
I want to personally thank you for taking
the time to learn more about your
police department. Transparency is
a key component to establishing and
maintaining strong relationships with the
community. Our annual report is one
of the ways we share information with
the public, something we have done for
our community involvement, training,
use-of-force statistics, a crime review,
collision rates, and much more.
Police departments across the nation
are struggling to attract new police
While the Paducah Police Department
is one of the premier law enforcement
agencies in the nation, we face the
goal and made it one of our top priorities
has been trying to accomplish for
many years. I am pleased to report we
accomplished this goal in 2022.
It is important to mention, especially
with all of the issues and concerns
related to policing, that we did not lower
to having a healthy organization and a
safe community. Our employees are
into how we operate on a daily basis.
With our ranks full, we have been
able to focus more on department-
Training plays a key role in how we
interact with the public and respond
in different situations. It is the most
important factor in preventing the types
of unnecessary tragedies we have
witnessed in other communities. In the
fall of 2022, we created a new position,
focus on engaging with our community
at all levels. We were also able to add
two (2) additional detectives to our
investigative units. These positions are
extremely important as we are working
hard to keep dangerous drugs, like
fentanyl, out of our community and to
prevent violent crime from increasing
like it has in many other cities.
has never been more challenging, our
any task. They do an excellent job
enforcement action or would be better
served through one of our community
partners. This balancing act can be
one minute and then criticized the next.
working in a community that is highly
supportive of their efforts.
From events and festivals, to a wide
variety of shopping, dining, and
entertainment opportunities, Paducah
has a lot for locals and visitors to enjoy.
I want you to know that the Paducah
Police Department is committed to
keeping our community safe while
to our citizens. Please follow our social
media accounts to keep up with what is
going on with your police department.
Thank you for taking the time to look at
work hard each day and we are proud to
highlight some of their accomplishments
in 2022. Please feel free to contact me
at blaird@paducahky.gov with any
Brian Laird, CHIEF OF POLICE
THE CHIEFA Message from
POLICE FOUNDATION
Directors
Leigh Ann Ballegeer
Matt Cahen
David Riley
Tyler Kennady
The Police Foundation of Paducah-McCracken County
department enhance community partnerships, improve
public safety and assist with employee development. Since
its creation in 2015, the Police Foundation has been an
important partner for the Paducah Police Department.
Letters to Santa
help with the “Letters to Santa” program. SRO Morgan
asked students
at the three
city elementary
schools to
write letters to
Santa Claus,
in care of the
Paducah Police
Department.
School Resource
and Ravens
purchased
and delivered
Christmas gifts
to 27 students,
chosen from
their letters.
The Foundation provided all funding for the program.
4 PADUCAH POLICE ANNUAL REPORT 2022
Metal Detectors
Near the end of the year, the Foundation Board approved the
purchase of 75 hand held metal detectors. These devices
or could be used as a
weapon, thus preventing
death or serious
January 2023, all of our
were provided with this
new tool to help keep
themselves and
others safe.
Cultural Leadership Academy
participated in the Cultural Leadership Academy as part of our
continued focus on employee development. The Foundation
continues to play a key role in this endeavor by providing the
In partnership with Murray State University, Paducah
enhance cultural competence for law enforcement.
The program is taught in four modules: Intercultural
Leadership, Social Intelligence and Nonverbal Communication,
Ethical Practices in the community, and Community Interaction
earn college credit for their work. To date, more than 40 of our
Get Involved
In 2023, the Foundation is planning to bring
back its annual fundraising event and looks
forward to continuing its mission. If you
would like to make or donation or just learn
more about the Police Foundation, follow
their Facebook page – Police Foundation of
Paducah-McCracken County.
Penrod Cappock
Tony Milliano
Josh Esper
Shannon Livingston
Patrice Hoffman
SCAN TO LEARN MORE!
PADUCAH POLICE ANNUAL REPORT 2022 5
COMMAND STAFF 2022Chief of PoliceBrian Laird
SergeantNickolas Francescon
SergeantEric Taylor SergeantJordan Murphy SergeantCody SantelSergeant Jason Hicks
Assistant ChiefAnthony Copeland Assistant Chief Justin Crowell CaptainJoseph Hayes CaptainChris Baxter CaptainNathan Antonites
SergeantMatt ScheerSergeantMatt HoppCaptainSteve ThompsonCaptainTravis WatsonCaptainJustin Hodges
6 PADUCAH POLICE ANNUAL REPORT 2022
Derik PerryJosh Bryant Beau Green Nathan Jaimet Kevin CollinsChris Fearon Keith Thuline
Blake Quinn AJ Parrish Ryan HudsonDaniel KimballChelsee Lucas Stone
Corey WillenborgTravis Counts Gretchen Morgan Jarrett WoodruffDana Davie James Robbins
Kevin Wilson
Danny Slack Zane White Will HendricksonEric Abbott Cassandra Ravens
2022
Alex Liebenrood Jason Armstrong
Matt Strohmeier Benjamin AnthonyCameron Thomason Brandon Cupp Adam Brown Tyson Riley Logan Barrow
PADUCAH POLICE ANNUAL REPORT 2022 7
K9 Don K9 Joker K9 Bary
Bryan Potts Taylor Cissell Thomas Shiels
Samantha WilsonCarlos CorderoJulia Cross Fred Harvey Jackson McCormick Rachel Bertrand Michael Foster
Seth FarthingSteven LangAustin Gruner Caleb Kindred
Jennifer SimmondsDylan CookAlex Whitworth Daniel Hunerkoch
Bryce Steven Leady Jr.Tyree Owens
Coy DotsonBrooke Adams Andrew Prusaczyk
Ryan Euteneier Michael VowellNoah WillettCarlos Kerley Jr.Pedro Loredo Matthew York Casey Steenbergen
8 PADUCAH POLICE ANNUAL REPORT 2022
Kim Newlon Jon Boulton
Sabrina Miller
Robin Newberry Vicki Miller Amy Travis Mary Farrell
CIVILIAN STAFF
Amanda Fooshee
Carly Martin
Patrick Bugg Taryn Reed Hillary Fowler
Tara Martin
Kim Clark Amber Spears Auston Scutt
McCall Buckingham Kim LauderdaleRyan Sallee
911 STAFF
Stephanie Goins
EmileeJones Mackenzie McDonald Coby Fauver
Sarah LambertLaura Peery
PADUCAH POLICE ANNUAL REPORT 2022 9
Troy D. Turner joined the police department Nov. 29, 2004. He became a detective March 22, 2007, and worked in both general investigations and the drug unit. He was promoted to sergeant April 28, 2016, and to captain on April 23, 2020. He served on the SWAT team and worked directed patrol. He was named Employee of the Year in 2008 for his work
embezzlement cases involving two charitable organizations. He retired as a captain in the Operations Division July 31, 2022.
Matthew L. Smith joined the police department May 27, 2003, and became a detective Jan. 11, 2007. He was promoted to sergeant August 1, 2014, and to captain on April 28, 2016. He served on the Crisis Negotiations Team and directed patrol team. While on directed patrol, he and his partner were named co-Employees of the Year in 2005 for their work in cleaning up the area of 7th and Adams streets, commonly known as “The Set.” He retired as a captain in the Support Services Division July 31, 2022.
PROMOTIONS
RETIREMENTS
William J. Hodges joined the police department Nov. 19, 2009. He was promoted to sergeant Feb. 8, 2018, and to captain on Jan. 13, 2022. He has served as
and as a supervisor in both divisions. He is also a member of the Digital Forensics Unit.
Travis L. Watsonjoined the police department July 15, 2010. He was promoted to sergeant May 10, 2018, and to captain on August 11, 2022. He
and a detective, and as a supervisor in both divisions. He formerly was
Steven L. Thompsonjoined the police department June 10, 2010. He was promoted to sergeant Oct. 24, 2019, and to captain on August 11, 2022. He has spent his career in the Operations Division and formerly was a driving instructor and a long-time member of the SWAT team.
Cody J. Santeljoined the police department Jan. 8, 2015. He was promoted to sergeant April 7, 2022. He is a member of the SWAT team and served as a
his promotion.
10 PADUCAH POLICE ANNUAL REPORT 2022
GRANTS AND BUDGET
2022 Fiscal YearGrants are crucial sources of funding for
the Paducah Police Department. They are
strategically used to support mission essential
projects that would over extend an annual
budget. These grants provide funding for
and technological support.
In 2022, the Paducah Police Department
totaled $118,437, and were utilized to provide
technological assistance.
The Bulletproof Vest Partnership (BVP)
awarded $6,804. This funding was utilized to
department is supplied with a vest. These vests
use or after receiving damage.
The Highway Safety Grant awarded
$22,000. This funding can only be used for
distracted driving, speeding, and seatbelt
usage.
The Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) awarded
$12,284. This funding can only be used for
To increase
safety, steel
plates were
purchased for
The Port
Security
Grant
awarded
$34,577.
This funding will be utilized to replace aging
It will also help expand the area of coverage by
providing funding for additional cameras.
The Kentucky Department of Libraries
and Archives (KDLA) Records Management
Grant awarded $42,772. This funding will be
used to digitize and catalog older paper
records. This grant greatly increases the
longevity and accessibility of our records, and
reduces the amount of physical space needed
to house records.
Operations
$8,657,637
(66%)
Support Services
$2,541,867
(20%)
Administration
$1,486,717
(11%)
School Resource
$334,635 (3%)
Total Budget$13,020,856
PADUCAH POLICE ANNUAL REPORT 2022 11
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
We believe building relationships and trust with the community starts with every member of the department. However, some of
with our community. Every interaction is an opportunity to show our commitment and desire to make a positive impact on the
citizens we serve.
CITIZEN’S POLICE ACADEMY
In 2022, we graduated our 26th class of the Paducah Police
designed to provide community members with a greater
understanding of the Paducah Police Department and its
operations.
Through
lectures and
hands-on
experiences,
our goal is
to make the
course an
informative and
fun experience
for all those
involved.
We are
currently
conducting one
session of the
Academy
each year. The
sessions are
7 weeks long,
with classes
meeting
one evening each week from 6-9 at the Paducah Police
Department. We cover a wide variety of topics including:
DUI Investigations, narcotic investigations, crime scene
Academy, you must meet the following criteria: individuals
18 years or older who live, work, or attend school in
Paducah or the surrounding areas are eligible to apply.
All applicants are subject to a criminal background check
prior to acceptance. Enrollment is limited to 25 students
per session. There is no cost to apply or participate in the
program. We encourage everyone to attend.
BATTLE OF THE BADGES
The Paducah Police Department and the Paducah Fire
Department came together for the community in the 2nd
up a valiant effort, the Fire Department prevailed in the
softball game and golf tournament. All money raised in
these events went directly to community charities.
Paducah Police Department
since 2011 and has worked
in both the Operations and
Support Services Divisions.
gave community presentations ranging from the dangers of
also provided tours of the Police Department to a number
of citizens and students educating them on the daily jobs
CEO
12 PADUCAH POLICE ANNUAL REPORT 2022
COMMUNITY FUN DAY
In September, we participated in the annual Paducah
Housing Authority Fun Day at Robert Coleman Park.
The Police Department and Housing Authority team
up to give the residents that live on housing authority
property the chance to connect with representatives from
numerous community groups. This event provides a great
in a fun and stress-free environment.
JUNIOR CITIZEN’S POLICE ACADEMY
Morgan, Abbott and Ravens, with 11 local students
attending. Those students learned about many aspects
of law enforcement such as: our
experienced an impairment simulation
and a mock crime scene with Coroner
Amanda Melton and Detective Chelsee SCAN TO LEARN MORE!
CHRISTMAS COPS
For over 30 years, the Paducah Police Department has
partnered with Christmas Cops to provide Christmas Gifts
to children in Paducah. This year more than 50 children
were taken Christmas shopping at Wal-Mart and given
the opportunity to pick out their own Christmas gifts. After
a wonderful lunch provided by Walker Hall, the children
were taken back to the Police Department for a special
screening of The Polar Express. Additionally, parents were
taken to Kroger to shop for groceries. Christmas Cops is a
501(c)(3) which will cover the cost of Christmas presents
and groceries for families in McCracken County.
VETERAN’S DAY PARADE
This year, the veterans of the Paducah Police Department
Parade. Captain Joe Hayes (Marine Corps) and Captain
Chris Baxter (Navy) drove “Old Number,” a vintage version
(Army National Guard), Detective Kevin Wilson (Air Force),
National Guard) participated in the parade on foot.
PADUCAH POLICE ANNUAL REPORT 2022 13
CHRISTMAS PARADE
For many years now, we have participated in the City Of
Senior Administrative Assistant Mary Farrell built this
Christmas presents. Police Department staff and families
the parade route.
COFFEE WITH A COP
With help from McDonalds, we were able to bring
back our Coffee with A Cop program. Coffee With A
Cop is designed to remove the typical barriers that
time to meet citizens at a neutral location to have real
conversations over a cup of coffee without distractions
Coffee With A Cop was started by the Hawthorne, CA
Police Department in 2011 and has grown to all 50 states
and over 15 countries. Check our social media pages for
announcements for future Coffee With A Cop events.
EXPLORERS
Exploring Program, known as Explorer Post 111,
is designed for young adults aged 14-20 that are
interested in a career in Law Enforcement. Participants
should have a strong desire to learn more about policing
and be willing to make a serious commitment since the
program meets weekly.
Explorer Post 111 meets every Monday from 6:30-
9:00 pm at the Paducah Police department. Each week
they practice and learn the fundamentals of police work
from patrol tactics, radio communications, defensive
tactics, and report writing. They practice
these fundamentals through classroom work and
practical exercises.
The Explorers also regularly assist in local events.
They have assisted in blocking intersections at road
races, helping with Halloween on
Jefferson Street, holiday parades,
Christmas Cops, and other events.
If you know someone who may be
interested in the Explorer program,
Taylor at etaylor@paducahky.gov SCAN TO LEARN MORE!
14 PADUCAH POLICE ANNUAL REPORT 2022
OPERATIONS DIVISION
responsibility is to proactively patrol all areas of the city and
respond to calls for service from members of our community.
Paducah Police Department and they are the initial response to
most police matters in the City.
In 2022, the Operations Division was comprised of an
Assistant Chief, four Captains, six Sergeants, forty-two Patrol
shifts, which begin in the morning, afternoon, or evening. Each
shift is led by a captain and two sergeants. While captains
oversee the administrative direction of each shift, sergeants
their shifts.
The Operations Division is also responsible for managing
the many special units within the Department, such as the
Special Weapons and Tactics
(SWAT) Team, Collision
Reconstruction Team, Bomb
Honor Guard, Police Training
apply and are selected to serve
on these teams and undertake
these responsibilities in addition
to their patrol function in
Operations. These teams allow
the department to better serve
service—an average of more than 128 calls per day. Perhaps
the wide variety of incidents encountered on a daily basis.
parking complaint, performing a welfare check for concerned
family members, addressing a dispute between two parties,
investigating a burglary, completing collision investigation, or
arresting a dangerous criminal.
HiringDue to the great amount of responsibility given to our
standards in the hiring of prospective candidates. The
in addressing community problems, and, as such, the Paducah Police Department has adopted a problem-oriented approach response to these issues. During initial training,
skills through practical and scenario-based training. These skills are scalable and are put to use on a daily basis to address problems of varying severity.
training police academy for 20 weeks. After successfully
to operate “solo” with oversight from a shift sergeant.
this description aptly describes what the role of police
peace in our communities demands a sense of resolve
coupled with compassion, and a desire to elevate the
needs of the community above personal interest. Whether
comforting a victim of a crime, tending to an injured person
at the scene of a collision, or arresting someone who has
front line to serve our community.
PADUCAH POLICE ANNUAL REPORT 2022 15
West Kentucky Launch Paducah Police
Cassandra Ravens and Eric Abbott, along with E911 Division
Director Kimberly Clark and Assistant Director Amber Spears,
Kentucky Launch Experience at the Julian Carroll Convention
Center. The event was open to 8th grade students from
throughout the area and featured representatives from all
types of careers. The students learned about the duties of
E911 Division dispatchers, and got to try duty belts and body
armor on for size.
We were able to talk with over 800 8th graders from
order to begin a career in law enforcement.
SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS
Christmas Cops in July This year was the
were selected to participate in this event. Kids were given
money to spend at the mall for new school clothes and paired
for Ginger Usher, who, along with her husband, Bill, was a
huge supporter of the Christmas Cops program. Mrs. Usher
passed away in 2022.
Camp Ondessonk The Christmas Cops
Foundation sponsored eight children and gave them the
opportunity to experience Camp Ondessonk for three days
over fall break.
Ravens chaperoned the event. They participated in an
equine class, archery, team building activities, nature walks,
and a night time scavenger hunt. The student slept in open
air cabins and learned the importance of following rules such
as, don’t leave food in your cabin because a racoon will be
snuggled up with you in your bunk..
SRO Morgan SRO Abbott SRO Ravens
CRIME REPORT
The Paducah Police Department is pleased to report,
completed 2,804 criminal reports in 2022, compared to
2,824 in 2021.
While this difference may seem small, it is important
to note that those crimes considered “crimes against
persons,” such as, murder, rape, aggravated assault,
and “other” assaults, dropped overall by 9% from 2021
to 2022. Property crimes, which includes offenses such
as burglary, theft, criminal mischief, and arson, saw an
overall increase of 6% for the same time period.
Notable reductions in Part 1 crimes include forcible
rapes (down 9%), aggravated assault (down 37%), and
auto theft (down 14%). Reported burglaries remained
steady at 74 for 2022, however this category was
levels. 6 homicides were investigated in 2022, as
opposed to 4 in 2022. Investigators made arrests in all
6 homicides, maintaining a 100% clearance rate in this
category. Reported thefts, many of which are from retail
establishments, saw the largest numerical increase (28).
UCR Program
The Paducah Police Department continued its practice of
submitting information related to crimes occurring in the City
to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for analysis.
Reporting (UCR) program, which includes information from
more than 15,000 law enforcement agencies across the
United States. The aim of this program is to provide criminal
justice professionals, educators, and practitioners with
reliable statistics related to criminal activity and trends. In
turn, data from the UCR program is used to inform decisions
on police policy and practice with regard to certain crimes.
The UCR program categorizes crimes as either a Part
I or Part II crime. Part I crimes are considered to be the
most serious offenses, and include crimes such as murder,
rape, and robbery. Part II crimes are generally considered
to be less severe in nature that Part I crimes, and include
offenses such as forgery, theft of property, and various drug
violations.
Paducah Police Department recognizes that any crime has
the potential to harm members of our community and create
and innovative ways to reduce crime universally.
Access Taskforce
Seeing the upward trend in reported thefts, the Paducah
Police Department began collaborating near the end of
2022 with local retailers and a national safety and security
ecosystems company, LiveView Technologies (LVT).
This collaboration is known as
the Alliance of Companies and
Communities to Enhance Safety
and Security (ACCESS) Taskforce.
The goal of this program is to
improve community safety and
reduce organized retail thefts.
Through the ACCESS
Taskforce program, over 40 mobile
surveillance units were deployed
at various retail establishments
throughout the City. Through
these units, retailers have the ability to provide enhanced
surveillance footage to the police of individuals and
vehicles involved in criminal activity on their property. Other
locations who have used these systems have reported
Department intends on studying crime data from locations
replicating similar results.
16 PADUCAH POLICE ANNUAL REPORT 2022
COLLISIONS
In 2022, there were 1,821 collisions reported in the City of
collision totals, but remained well below (-22%) pre-
pandemic levels in 2019.
There were three collisions involving fatalities in the city,
collisions involving injuries was slightly down (-3%) from
2021 levels, the total number of injured parties increased by
7% in 2022.
One notable reduction included
the number of collisions involving
commercial vehicles. In 2021, there
were a total of 117 collisions involving
commercial vehicles, compared to 84 in
2022. This is a reduction of 28%.
responsible for deciding what human
factors contributed to a collision. As in
previous years, the leading human factor
continued to be “inattention” being noted
in 40% of all collisions within the City.
“Failing to yield the right-of-way” (15%) and “misjudging
clearance” (11%) continued to be the next two leading
human factors contributing to collisions.
Locations in the City with the highest density of collisions
remained consistent from previous years and coincided
include: Hinkleville Road/I-24, Lone Oak Road/ I-24, Lone
Oak Road/Jackson Street, and Irvin Cobb Drive/Wayne
Sullivan Drive.
Working Together
In addressing collision concerns, the Paducah Police
Department recognizes the key role we play in
cooperation with our local, state, and
federal partners. While enforcement
to reducing collisions, often time
there is an environmental factor
(speed restriction, roadway design,
obstruction removal) that needs to be
addressed to aid in the process. In
addition to the enforcement of laws
and the changing of the environment,
often times the public needs to be
educated about certain hazards on
of their actions. Other times, this involves working closely
with the City Public Works Department and the State
hazards are the greatest. Through strong partnerships
with the community and other partners, the Paducah
Police Department will continue to work towards the
reduction of collisions.
PADUCAH POLICE ANNUAL REPORT 2022 17
SUPPORTSERVICES DIVISION
The Support Services Division is made up of multiple Units:
Drug, General Investigations, Digital Forensics, Records and
Evidence and Polygraph. Each of these units play a critical
role in providing the most professional police services possible
backgrounds, life experiences, and cultural perspective, all
of which comes together to create a team that is effective in
carrying out the mission of the department.
General Investigations Unit
The General Investigations Unit is comprised of six detectives
and one sergeant who are responsible for investigating major
a precise and thorough investigation. They provide 24-hour /
365 day a year investigative coverage and must be available for
after-hours call outs for major crimes and incidents. The types
of incidents investigated by the GIU include: homicide, child
abuse, rape, major assaults, robberies and suspicious missing
person investigations. Over the years the role of a general
be as thorough as possible where a detailed investigation is
needed beyond just major crimes. Detectives also assist with
fatal vehicle accidents, many types of internet crimes, and
threats to the general public such as at a school.
In 2022, detectives investigated 265 incidents and produced
a 78% clearance rate for solving those incidents. According to
program, their clearance rate far surpasses the 2021 Kentucky
clearance rate of 33%. Detectives also solved 100% of the
homicides which occurred in Paducah, again surpassing the
national rate of 61.4% reported in 2019 and the Kentucky state
clearance rate of 48% in 2021. These clearance rates are a
direct result of investigators striving to uncover the truth in every
incident and by leveraging their extensive training, community
relationships, technology, determination and hard work.
Two of these detectives, Kevin Wilson and Chelsee
the unit in 2018.
Since then, the
two of them have
conducted over
470 criminal
investigations with
169 of those being
Part 1 crime
reports. They are often assigned the most complex and detailed
cases, due to their knowledge and experience. In addition to
their daily investigative assignments, they have specialties
County Multi-Disciplinary team that reviews reports of child
abuse. She has a passion for investigating crimes where
children have been victimized. Detective Wilson has received
extensive training in crime scene processing and forensic work.
With both his keen eye for detail and patient determination,
Wilson often leads the way when processing major crime
specialized training related to homicide, sexual assault, human
Drug Unit
The Drug Unit is made up of four detectives and a supervisor.
victimizing members of our community by selling dangerous
and illegal drugs. They often begin their investigations from
information provided by a concerned citizen who sees illegal
drug sales in their neighborhood. Just like many other cities
across our nation, Paducah has seen the deadly effects of
Control Policy noted that “an opioid was involved in 90% of
all overdose deaths in Kentucky and fentanyl was detected
in more than 70% of those cases not only in Kentucky, but
nationwide.” To combat the alarming effect of fentanyl, the
Drug Unit began a large-scale fentanyl investigation at the
end of 2020, culminating in September of 2022. During
the investigation, 23 people were charged in connection to
$200,000. They also seized more than $242,000 which was
proceeds from the sale of illicit drugs.
While investigating the major fentanyl case, drug detectives
also investigated 144 cases making 74 arrests and solving
100% of the incidents. The crimes they investigated ranged
from weapons violations and methamphetamine sales to a
large EBT fraud case. The Drug Unit also assists the GIU
with major investigations, utilizing their covert abilities and
relationships within the community help solve crimes and keep
our community safe.
18 PADUCAH POLICE ANNUAL REPORT 2022
Polygraph
polygrapher and began an extensive training program in 2018.
He then began performing polygraphs for the Paducah Police
Department and other departments in the West Kentucky area
in 2019. Detective Jaimet performs examination for both pre-
employment and criminal investigations. Since 2019, he has
conducted over 180 polygraphs.
Records and Evidence
The Records and Evidence Unit play a critical role for both the
department and also to the community we serve. If you have
ever been involved in an accident and needed a police report,
or you have been involved in a court proceeding, then you
have likely interacted with our records unit. The unit is staffed
by four employees and is led by Amy Travis, the Records Unit
manager. The Records and Evidence Unit is responsible for
every piece of physical and digital evidence that comes into
realize the Department houses over 13,000 pieces of physical
evidence and 383,067 pieces of digital evidence. All evidence
and records are maintained according Kentucky State
standards. These standards dictate how long evidence should
be maintained, when it should be released to the public, and
how it should be maintained. Maintaining the integrity of this
evidence is paramount to facilitating prosecutorial processes
and transparency of the agency.
The Records and Evidence Unit is also responsible for
videos. As with evidence, there are state laws and guidelines
completed by the unit.
Digital Forensics Unit
Since 2012, the Paducah Police Department has averaged
over 200 device examinations a year, and they have
processed over 600 cases. Each of these examinations were
done outside of a forensic examiners normal job assignment.
since 2017).
continue to aid the surrounding agencies with examinations.
would need forensics capabilities. The Digital Forensics Unit
services approximately 18 surrounding agencies each year
consisting of both Federal and local law enforcement.
PADUCAH POLICE ANNUAL REPORT 2022 19
911 COMMUNICATIONS SERVICES DIVISION
RapidDeploy and RapidSOS deliver real time location
information for cellular callers. Both applications bring a
number of new resources and options to help dispatchers
locate and communicate with callers during emergency
situations. These Next Generation 911(NG911) applications
also provide enhanced caller information which may
include emergency contact details, medical history, vehicle
descriptions and license plates.
CrewForce, a mobile CAD application, delivers 911 call
adds an additional a level of safety for responders by
offering a secondary information exchange option when
radio communication is unavailable or ineffective.
The combination of RapidDeploy, RapidSOS and
CrewForce were game changers! These new tools allowed
location, while simultaneously
locations, helping dispatchers guide
situations.
Other Responsibilities
are full between telephone calls, CFS
and navigating these new technologies,
but that is not our only workload.
Paducah Police dispatchers provide
Criminal Justice Information System
(CJIS) support to 10+ agencies,
resulting in thousands of National
Crime Information Center (NCIC)
transactions each year. We also manage 911 records and
we support McCracken County Emergency Management
in activating weather sirens during severe weather and
house the Public Warning System for the Paducah Gaseous
Diffusion Plant. Dispatchers also answer numerous after-
hours phone calls for several McCracken County agencies.
2022 was a year of progress and change for the 911
center as we continued moving forward with the goal of
providing our community with the highest level of professional
emergency communications services possible. We focused
on professional training and development for employees,
leveraging new CAD and NG911 technologies, while
forward to continue improving the level of service we provide
New Manager
In 2022, we welcomed Kimberly Clark as the new manager for
the 911 Center. Clark has brought with
her more than 30 years of experience
in the 911 communications industry.
She has multiple national professional
invest in her hometown community.
After starting her new position,
extensive knowledge and leadership
abilities within the 911 center.
The Paducah Police Department 911 Communications
Services Division is the Emergency Communications Center
or EMS that originate in McCracken
County are answered by the Paducah
Police 911 dispatchers. These
same dispatchers also answer non-
emergency phone calls from the public,
personnel.
In 2022, our dispatchers handled
141,791 telephone calls. This means
that on average each dispatcher is
responsible for handling almost 13,000
calls a year. This call volume is
consistent with 2021, averaging 16 calls
per hour. Paducah Police dispatchers
answered 99% of all 911 and non-
emergency calls in 10 seconds or less,
which far exceeds industry standards.
details and entering this information into the Computer Aided
Dispatch (CAD) System, creating a Call for Service (CFS).
The 911 Center receives a wide range of calls differing in
priority from emergency, life threatening situations to routine
non-emergency events.
In total, Paducah 911 generated 102,097 CAD incidents in
2022, averaging 11 incidents per hour. 2022 saw an overall
increase in workload of 6.1%, with 61% of calls being dispatched
to city agencies and 39% of calls dispatched to county agencies.
New Technology
We implemented several new technologies this past year
that allow us to operate more effectively, better serving the
community and public safety agencies.
20 PADUCAH POLICE ANNUAL REPORT 2022
RADIO PROJECT
Where We Are
Radio communication is foundational in public safety service delivery.
responders will be able to hear their call for help.
With our current radio infrastructure, which is 10 years past
transmission does not reach the ears of 911 dispatchers and/or other
most, the City of Paducah and McCracken County have embarked on
a joint project to modernize and improve our radio system.
Our Goal
responders across McCracken County which meets national radio
standards of 95% coverage reliability. At present, the public safety
radio in our area has several different systems working independently
includes VHF, UHF, and 800MHz. To further complicate things, the
mechanical components that make up these systems are beyond
vendor supported lifecycles. Recently, when a battery back-up
failed, a dispatch console shut down and was not functional for
weeks. To repair the radio system, parts were purchased from
EBAY due to the manufacturer no longer making the parts.
Request for Proposal
A major step towards replacing the radio system occurred in
released. The objective is to obtain a cost-effective, highly
reliable public safety radio system that meets the needs of
the City of Paducah and McCracken County. The City and
County hired a private company, Federal Engineering, to
system performance expectations based upon industry best
practices and public safety standards. In the coming year, we
will evaluate vendor proposals on radio systems that will meet
A modernized radio system will enhance interoperability
safeguarding mission critical communications.
PADUCAH POLICE ANNUAL REPORT 2022 21
22 PADUCAH POLICE ANNUAL REPORT 2022
TRAINING
The Paducah Police Department invests heavily in individual
believe training is the key to reducing use of force incidents,
initial training at the Department of Criminal Justice Training
(DOCJT) located on campus at Eastern Kentucky University
in Richmond, Kentucky. This is a 20-week course that
focuses on the basics of law enforcement.
are trained on how to apply the knowledge they received in
this program, they are able to respond and handle call for
service on their own.
minimum of 40 hours of in-service training per year. The
Paducah Police Department provides training above and
2022 Legal update, Spring Firearms, Fall Firearms, TI
Simulator scenario training, de-escalation, Use of Taser, Use
of the Bola Wrap, Application of OC Spray, Use of a Baton,
Use of Pepperball systems, Less Lethal Shotgun, Breath
Training, Pursuit and Emergency Vehicle Operations,
Diminished Capacity and Excited Delirium training, First
Aid and CPR/AED training, Tactical Emergency Casualty
Space Training, Defensive Tactics, Hazardous Materials
areas of: Duty to Intervene, Early Intervention, Response to
Resistance, Operations Procedures, Property and Evidence,
Search and Seizure, Biased Based Policing, Transportation
of Prisoners, Domestic Violence, Sexual Harassment and
Off-duty Conduct.
Paducah Police conducts an annual department-wide
driver’s training.
subject apprehension at the department’s Defensive
Tactics Training.
OFFICE OF PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS
PADUCAH POLICE ANNUAL REPORT 2022 23
include a wide variety of functions within the department.
It conducts and reviews internal affairs investigations and
complaints, monitors use of force incidents, manages
department grants, contributes to the permitting process
for special events for the city, manages department policy,
serves as the department representative for Homeland
Security activities, and monitors training to ensure
of Professional Standards manages special projects as
assigned by the Chief of Police.
Standards worked on in 2022 was an online forms platform.
Previously, forms such as our Response to Resistance
go through a tiered review process. This would often take
a week or more due to the report sitting on a desk or in a
mailbox until that person returned to work. Our new system
has moved our reporting system from physical to digital.
The process is sped up by an electronic routing feature that
sends an email to the next person in the approval process.
the report and add any comments. This technology has
Complaints
service to our community. Members of the community can
provide that feedback through email, by phone, or in person.
The information is then investigated by a supervisor. Once
the investigation is complete, it is routed through the chain
In 2022, there were 39 total complaints. 17 were external,
meaning they were generated outside of the agency. 22
were internal complaints, meaning that they initiated by a
Out of the 39 complaints, 21 were sustained. There
the investigation led the investigator to a point where they
were unable to prove or disprove the allegation. In 13 of the
exonerated.
In cases where the allegation is sustained, the goal is
considers the totality of the incident, experience of the
one was placed on a performance improvement plan, eight
suspension.
Response to Resistance
Response to Resistance reports are utilized to document force
This process begins when the suspect is brought into custody.
The on-duty supervisor responds to the scene to evaluate the
These reports are then sent through a multi-level evaluation
which, there were 67 incidents that involved the use of force by
percent (0.14%) of all police encounters. All of these incidents
were subject to an objective and thorough review process with
each of them being deemed an appropriate use of force.
A review of the demographics shows 53 of the suspects were
male and 14 were female. 33 were Caucasian, 33 were African
American, and one was Hispanic. In a majority of the incidents,
and 15 involved someone experiencing a mental health issue.
to as Superior Strength (21 incidents) or soft empty hand (19
or her strength to gain control of a resisting suspect. The most
to a position where they can be handcuffed. Soft empty hand
hold a resisting suspect.
options. These options include: OC Spray (pepper spray), Taser,
baton, impact munitions (bean bag), Pepperball, K-9, and Bola
Wrap restraint devices. In 2022, there was one instance where
a Taser. There was one instance that involved the use of bean
bags to gain control of a suspect.
to their safety or the safety of someone else. In three of these
the suspect had two large knives. In all 17 of the incidents the
are evaluated after force is used. Out of the 67 incidents, there
were only four where a suspect complained of injury. In each of
these cases and situations where a Taser is utilized, the suspect
was evaluated by a medical professional.
24 PADUCAH POLICE ANNUAL REPORT 2022
Bomb Squad
counties in Kentucky. Just like the SWAT team, the Bomb
10 calls for assistance. These calls included deteriorated
dynamite, improvised military explosives, grenades, and
grant funding in 2021 to purchase a portable x-ray system,
and received the system in 2022. This system increases
a hands-off method of identifying explosive material
without moving a suspected device.
Crisis Negotiations Team
The Crisis Negotiations Team (CNT) is a part-time team
skills and who can effectively communicate with
individuals who may be experiencing a crisis. CNT
members respond to dangerous scenes involving
barricaded individuals or hostage situations. They
work in conjunction with other special units to establish
communication with the barricaded subject or hostage
taker and bring the incident to a safe resolution. The CNT
was not utilized in 2022.
provide assistance in situations that go beyond the scope
circumstances. The special units consist of: Special Weapons
Team (CRT), Honor Guard, Crisis Negotiations Team (CNT),
and K-9.
SWAT Team
unit have additional responsibilities during normal day-to-day
operations. Members receive additional training to respond
and tactics that exceed the capabilities of traditional law
two times for high-risk operations. Even when not formally
activated, the team is regularly consulted for assistance with
planning and executing both search and arrest warrants.
participating in the arrest of multiple suspects involved in
large number of suspects and many locations where search
warrants needed to be served.
SPECIALIZED UNITS
PADUCAH POLICE ANNUAL REPORT 2022 25
Collision Reconstruction Team
The Collision Reconstruction Team (CRT) is a part-time
team, and they receive specialized training to respond to
major collisions that result in serious physical injury or death.
CRT members have extensive training in mathematics
major collision scenes. This documentation is used to
help determine contributing factors and causation in major
collisions. In addition to responding to collision scenes, CRT
members also assist detectives in documenting major crime
scenes. In 2022, the CRT was activated eight times.
Honor Guard
The Honor Guard is a part-time team comprised of seven
line of duty. They also participated in several parades and
K-9 Unit
Kennels in Indiana. There they meet and interact with several
factors such breed, size, sex, and personality. The K-9 and
the handler go through extensive training where they form a
lasting bond. After training, the new K-9 team returns to
Paducah where they reside with the handler. The teams train
twice a month to keep their skills sharp. The Paducah Police
Department has three K-9s: Don, Joker and Bary.
In 2022, the K-9 teams performed over 150 narcotics
searches and suspect
searches. K-9
demonstrations were
conducted for over 1000
people. When asked what
the most memorable event
from 2022 involving you
and your K-9 partner was,
each handler provided a
K-9 Don mentioned their
participation in the 2022 K-9
Olympics at Vohne Liche
Kennels. AJ and Don trained
extensively for this competition. They competed against over
out of 35 teams who participated in the Patrol Team Division.
accomplishments. One of which involved a track for a burglary
dedication to training paid off when K-9 Joker led units directly
assistance of Bary, the Paducah Police Department seized
nearly a pound of Fentanyl pills and almost $10,000 cash.
26 PADUCAH POLICE ANNUAL REPORT 2022
Captain Joe Hayes, Marine Corps
Captain Chris Baxter, Navy
Captain Nathan Antonites, Army
Sergeant Matt Hopp, Navy
Navy
Army
Army
Army
Air Force
Army
Air Force
Army
Army
Army
Marine Corps
Army
Army
Marine Corps
Army
Army
Army
Army
Army
Army
Army
Army
Army
Air Force
The Paducah Police Department currently employees 28 veterans of the United
States Armed Forces. Some of these veterans are still currently serving in the
National Guard or Reserves. We would like to take a moment to recognize
those who served their country before serving our community:
Skillbridge Program
The Paducah Police Department actively recruits veterans to serve our community. One way this is accomplished is by participating
in a collaboration with the Military, the Department of Defense (DOD), the Kentucky Department of Criminal Justice Training
(DOCJT), andthe Kentucky Law Enforcement Council (KLEC). This program, coined “M2-LE” (Military to Law Enforcement),
future career in law enforcement. Under the program, a soon-to-be-separated service member is granted up to 180 days,
of the academy, service members seamlessly transition to becoming an employee of the Paducah Police Department.
OUR VETERANS
SCAN TO
LEARN MORE!
returned
from deployment towards the
end of 2022. SSG Adam Brown
mobilized with the KY ARNG
1-149th INF, 1-116th BCT, 29th
ID October 2021 to deploy to
east Africa to support Operation
Enduring Freedom – Horn of
task was Security Forces, a role
to maintain physical security of a
military installation. SSG Brown
returned from his mission in
September of 2023.
PADUCAH POLICE ANNUAL REPORT 2022 27
AWARDS
CITIZEN SERVICE AWARDS· Corey Goatley· Kent Cadwell· Terrance Brown· Amy Richards· Josh Franklin· Jacob Franklin· Brice Wilkerson· James “Darren” Sparks· Brandy Elliott
5-YEAR SAFE DRIVING AWARD
10-YEAR SAFEDRIVING AWARD· Detective Nathan Jaimet· Sergeant Nickolas Francescon· Assistant Chief Anthony Copeland
15-YEAR SAFEDRIVING AWARD· Detective Beau Green
· Captain Joseph Hayes· Assistant Chief Justin Crowell
SERVICE COMMENDATIONS· Emilee Jones· Auston Scutt (2)· Emilee Jones (2)· Patrick Bugg· Hillary Fowler (2)· Stephanie Goins· Sergeant Nickolas Francescon (5)· Detective Dylan Cook (3)
· Detective Corey Willenborg (9)· Detective Beau Green (7)· Detective Nathan Jaimet (8)
SPECIAL RECOGNITION
CHIEF’S AWARDS· Sergeant Jason Hicks
LIFESAVING AWARDS
· Detective Dylan Cook
MERITORIOUS SERVICE AWARDS
In November of 2022, ,
deployment to Europe. He left the department
on orders on November 1st, 2022 and is not
expected to return to the department until 2024.
also returned from an
extended deployment in 2022. Captain Kimball
deployed in September of 2021 with the 198th
Military Police BN in order to support the
southwest border mission in the Del Rio and
Laredo areas of Texas.
support the US Border patrol agents by giving
them multiple sets of eyes on the border so
they could focus on enforcement and processing illegal immigrants
who were crossing the Border in Texas to Gain access to the USA.
DEPLOYEDOFFICERS RETURN
EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR
OFFICER PEDRO LOREDO
Captains Hodges and Thompson cited several other
volunteered for special duties,
or represented the department
well. They spoke of his excellent
demeanor during court testimony
and his dealings with the public.
Beyond his work as an
him apart. In their nomination,
Loredo carries himself in a way
that brings pride to the police
department. He is always willing
to lend a hand, and has been
available numerous times to
work extra shifts with nothing
more than just a phone call or
text message. He always has a
good attitude and is always busy
looking for the next stop while he
is on duty.”
… strives to make the service we, as a department, can
provide to the community better each and every day.”
to work and goes on duty that he does not make the City
asset to the department… This is why I am honored to not
nominate him for the 2022 Employee of the Year Award.”
This is the opening line of one of two nominations for the
of the Year Award.
A nomination by two supervisors focuses on the
citations, willingness to work
long hours and positive attitude.
to duty and community, his
courage and his continual
placement of duty, oath and
community service before himself.
Both nominations recognize
Loredo exhibited bravery and
heroism in apprehending a
man who had just shot two
people outside a Park Avenue
convenience store. “On August
an extreme indifference for his
own safety and his willingness to
protect the community he serves,
no matter the dangers he faces.”
and he did not hesitate, he did not falter, and he did not
in positions to make an impact, and that is exactly what
that night.”
“Officers are judged by the things they do, and their actions while doing them.”
Paducah Police Department • paducahky.gov/police-department
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