On the topic of a possible merger of Alexandria’s Police Department and the Campbell County Police Department.
Could it be that the county has been seeking a partner for several years now?
Could it be that the candidacy of Wilder Police Chief Tony Rouse for Sheriff had a merger with the Sherriff’s Department in mind (along with the Judge-Executive Steve Pendry) had he been elected?
Could it be that Judge-Executive Steve Pendry approached Alexandria’s ex-mayor Dan McGinley about the possibility of a merger?
Could it be that ex-mayor McGinley rebuffed this idea?
Could it be that Judge-Executive Steve Pendry recognized that newly elected, inexperienced and unprepared current Mayor Bill Rachford was a newbie, stroked his ego and found a sympathetic ear?
Could it be that a city employee helped advance (and still is) the merger idea to the new mayor?
Could it be that someone who may presently be involved in police work could be filled with ambition and is excited about the possibility of heading up a new combined, merged or Police Authority?
One thing we do know is that there is turmoil (and has been for quite some time) within the Campbell County Police Department and the Judge-Executive instead of taking the bull-by-the-horns and putting an end to the nonsense has indeed tried to find a scheme whereby he could get the county out of the Police Department business.
Top management at the Campbell County Police Department is responsible for this turmoil and the Judge-Executive cannot or will not man-up and make the hard decisions that would end this problem.
Alexandria has a top-shelf police department and we hope that Alexandria’s leadership does not take the bait regardless of what glowing report is received from the so-called expert consultants of the county’s choosing and soundly reject this self-serving merger idea from the county.
Alexandria should keep its known entity and allow the county to wallow in its own problems or solve them on its own.
