Photo, from left to right, Covington Police Sergeant Rachel White and Chief of Police Brian Valenti.
COVINGTON, Ky. – The Kentucky Women’s Law Enforcement Network (KWLEN), a statewide organization, has selected the Covington Police Department as the “Public Safety Department of the Year.”
The honor was presented last week at KWLEN’s 25th annual conference in Bowling Green. The organization’s membership includes individuals from local, state, and federal agencies, as well as educators, students and civilian personnel from within the criminal justice system.
KWLEN said the recognition is bestowed upon an organization that works to promote enthusiasm, harmony, gender equality and diversity in the organization and community as a whole.
“The nominee demonstrated an open attitude, attentiveness to community needs and concerns, and a commitment to equitable treatment and the promotion of diversity,” KWLEN said about Covington PD.
Covington City Manager Ken Smith said the KWLEN honor recognizes the hard work the Police Department does to keep Covington “safe and strong.”
“Covington is a very diverse city with folks of all walks of life, and we’re very intentional about making everyone feel welcome. The men and women of the CPD are no exception in that effort,” said Smith. “Whether through their new Community Liaison Unit, their LGBT liaisons, or their many community outreach efforts – many involving our youth –work hard to make the community not just safe but also stronger and more cohesive. I’m very proud of the Police Department for receiving this honor.”
The honor applauds the actions and goals of Covington Police Chief Brian Valenti’s 5-year strategic plan and its vision to implement a community-oriented policing model with a focus on problem-solving.
“Being recognized statewide by an organization such as KWLEN is very special to me,” said Valenti. “Any time we are recognized for the work we do on a daily basis it is appreciated but being nominated by one of our own, who realizes the direction of the department and, whose unit is weaving themselves into the fabric of the community, is great. It shows that we are propagating the beliefs of the city to be an inclusive community for all.”
While Covington PD has had strategic plans in the past, Valenti said it was time for an update as those goals had become “stale.” He released the Department’s current 5-year strategic plan earlier this year.
“Time has changed policing, especially recently, and we need to change along with it,” said Valenti. “The newly released strategic plan paints a roadmap for growth and success in the department and within the community. Strategic plans can be just rhetoric in some department, but our officers believe in where we are going and believe this is the way to get there. The strategic plan is meant to be a living document so as we achieve goals, we will re-evaluate, and new ones will be added.”
Covington Police Sergeant Rachel White nominated the Department for the KWLEN honor. In her nomination she stated that, “The Covington Police Department, under the command of Chief Brian Valenti, is deserving of this award because it is constantly striving for better inclusion, immersion, and collaboration with our very diverse and growing community.”
White wrote that within a couple of months of Valenti’s strategic plan being made public, real change began. She said Valenti’s decision to remove the Department’s current Community Liaison team from patrol and place them in a new unit that focuses on community relations and intelligence, was an impactful decision.
“The idea is to use intelligence-led policing through data analysis, crime mapping, and prevention strategies to target higher crime areas, deter anticipated criminal activity and prevent crime from occurring,” White stated. The new unit also works jointly with the City’s Code Enforcement, Fire Department, and Neighborhood Services to solve quality of life issues within the city.
White pointed out that the new unit has already increased its presence in the community, which helps build better relationships with the community and create better lines of communication, ultimately better assisting the Department as well as Covington citizens.
The strategic plan’s goal to ensure that Officers receive productive training is also seeing results, White stated. While Officers have always received annual in-house training, this year they focused on “perishable skills” such as moving and shooting, room clearing, and defensive tactics.
“The goal is to keep Officers up to date on new skills, improve their skills, and broaden their knowledge, White stated. “This allows the department to better serve the community and keep them safe.”
Through numerous new actions and the follow-through on the additional goals as laid out in the strategic plan, White said Covington PD will best serve Covington citizens.
“The Department serves over 41,000 residents from a very diverse population, along with a population of tourists and out-of-town workers. The Department is focused on serving those people in the best and most innovative way possible. The success of the Department means a safer, happier, and more inclusive community,” White stated.
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