Police hiring, training, and disciplinary requirements in Lexington, Kentucky
| Police hiring, training, and discipline |
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| • Police collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) • Ballotpedia CBA dashboard •Reform proposals •CBA areas of inquiry and disagreement •Arguments about police collective bargaining • Index of articles about criminal justice policy |
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This page provides an overview of policies related to the hiring, training, and discipline of police officers in Lexington, Ky. It is part of an analysis of police union collective bargaining agreements and related arrangements with police unions concerning hiring, training, and disciplinary requirements in the 50 states and top 100 cities by population.
Background
Ballotpedia in 2023 examined the collective bargaining agreements, statutes, and regulatory codes governing the 50 states and the top 100 US cities by population through the lens of a series of research questions related to police hiring, training, and discipline.
Some of the hiring, training, and discipline standards for police officers not established by statutes or regulations arise from negotiations with police unions. Those negotiations are often codified in collective bargaining agreements (CBAs). Those agreements are the contracts that states and cities sign following negotiations with police unions. Some states and cities restrict collective bargaining, but may still negotiate with police unions using other methods. After negotiating with the unions, those jurisdictions sometimes establish police standards through documents including memoranda of understanding or meet and confer agreements.
Results
The tables below link to each question Ballotpedia used to analyze the states and cities and indicate how Lexington handles police hiring, training, and discipline. To see the provisions Ballotpedia used to support these results, click here.
CBA basics
| CBA basics | Results |
|---|---|
| Is there a CBA with the police union? | YES |
| Is the current CBA publicly available online? | YES |
Discipline and accountability
| Discipline and accountability | Results |
|---|---|
| Does the CBA contain provisions related to discipline for misconduct? | YES |
Primary discipline authority: City of Lexington, Police Department; Types: limited to only termination, demotion, decrease in pay or grade, suspension without pay, written reprimand; Restricted aspects: Restricted by state LEBOR Challenge/appeal process: Disciplinary Review Board.Disciplinary articles are supplemental to KRS 15.520 and KRS 95.450 (statute in the state's LEOBOR). Officers shall be informed 48 hours prior to investigation interrogation. Except for criminal investigations, all administrative investigations shall be completed within 60 days of complaint affidavit being filed with the PIU. Members shall have right to union representation. There is a three-step disciplinary process, starting with the chief, an appeal to Disciplinary Review Board (DRB), and LFUCG Urban County Council. Disciplinary action is not grievable under union procedure. | |
| Does the CBA forbid the transfer or reassignment of an officer as a form of discipline? | NO |
| Do officers have a right to request third-party arbitration for grievances, including over disciplinary actions? | NO |
| Does the CBA explicitly allow for a state ombudsman outside particular police departments to hold law enforcement officers accountable for misconduct? | NO |
Legal limitations or provisions
| Legal limitations or provisions | Results |
|---|---|
| Does the city CBA prohibit felons from becoming law enforcement officers? | NO |
| Are there any statutes or regulations that prohibit collective bargaining with police unions? | NO |
Training and counseling
Community relations and oversight
| Community relations and oversight | Results |
|---|---|
| Does the CBA reference citizen review boards? | YES |
Board name: Disciplinary Review Board (DRB) DRB consists of nine members, two of which are civilians | |
| Does the CBA have provisions related to community policing? | NO |
Investigations
| Investigations | Results |
|---|---|
| Does the CBA contain provisions related to misconduct investigations? | YES |
Investigative and disciplinary procedure for formal and informal complaints. Includes timeline for how long investigations should last with notice to officer | |
| Does the CBA require notice to officers of investigations? | YES |
Conditions: Written notice; Timeline: Must receive 48 hour notice of investigation; Content: Must include a copy of the complaint | |
| Does the CBA determine a timeline for investigations? | YES |
Timeline to launch: N/A; Timeline to conclude: 60 days, but may request 60 day extensions. | |
| Does the CBA contain provisions related to compensation during misconduct investigations? | NO |
Evidence and records
| Evidence and records | Results |
|---|---|
| Does the CBA have provisions related to the use of body-worn cameras or body-worn camera video evidence? | NO |
| Does the CBA regulate processes for retaining officer disciplinary records? | NO |
Record storage: N/A; Storage authority: N/A; Types of records: Personnel files; Timeline: N/A; Access and use: Member, lodge representative, Department of Human Rights, Department of Law, Chief, Public Integrity Unit, Personnel Records Unit, Open Records Unit and/or Computer Information Services Unit; Use in decisions: N/A | |
Qualifications and evaluation
| Qualifications and evaluation | Results |
|---|---|
| Does the CBA require performance evaluations? | YES |
Referenced in relation to promotions | |
| Does the CBA restrict licensing procedures for law enforcement officers or departments? | NO |
Union authority
| Union authority | Results |
|---|---|
| Does the CBA limit union authority to pay and benefits issues? | NO |
| Does the CBA give the union the power to approve or disapprove new training programs for law enforcement officers? | NO |
| Does the CBA have provisions involving the union in the process for promotions, unit assignments, and transfers? | YES |
Department in charge of assignments and transfers; City will inform union of intent to fill vacancy by promotion within 10 days of vacancy occurring; Union president or designee will review promotional examination questions prior to testing with opportunity to suggest that certain questions be struck from the exam | |
See also
Footnotes
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