Photo: Left to right, Covington Chief of Police Brian Valenti, new PD hire Joseph Richer, and Covington Mayor Joe Meyer.

COVINGTON, Ky. – The Covington Police Department’s newest recruit is a graduate of Holmes High School, a Covington resident, and a member of the Air Force Reserves.

Joseph Richer was sworn in by Covington Mayor Joe Meyer this morning and received his badge in a ceremony at City Hall.

Meyer prefaced the oath-of-office ceremony by speaking to the significance of the department’s relationship with the community.

“To most people, the Police Department is the City,” said Meyer. “More people interact with law enforcement than they do with the Mayor or Commissioners, so the relationship between our Police Department and the people who live in our community is really important to us.”

Richer, who recently returned home from a deployment in Kuwait, was employed by the Kenton County Detention Center, where he supervised and monitored inmate activities and behavior to ensure a safe and controlled environment.

Being part of the Covington PD has long been a goal of his. “I’ve wanted to do this for a long time, and I’m glad I get to be a part of Covington,” said Richer. “It means the world to me.”

Richer will begin his 20-week basic training at the police academy in Richmond, Ky. At the completion of the academy, he will return to Covington, where he will begin a field training program.

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