COVINGTON, Kentucky – Covington Police say this week marked a step toward improving crime prevention through community relations with the formalization of the Community Liaison Unit.
Three officers, led by Sergeant Rachel White and assisted by Officers Josh Knott and Alex Rose, would no longer be “tethered to the radio” when responding to minor emergency calls. Instead, they could focus their time and resources on connecting the department with community groups, meeting people in different neighborhoods and organizing large events, such as the back-to-school backpack distribution on Thursday night.
Officer Knott was tasked with helping the children select the bag they would call their own.
“It feels good,” Knott said. “It shows us that what we’re doing is making a difference.”
Knott, who has been with the Covington Police Department for four years, was born and raised in Louisville and said he saw Louisville mounted police ride by every day.
“They stopped. They talked to me,” he said. “It was the sense of community. They took the time to talk to me, a punk kid who doesn’t know any better.”
He said personal contact with police officers on the street inspired him to join the Community Liaison Unit in Covington.
Sergeant White said Chief Brian Valenti’s decision to formalize the unit and integrate it into its own subdivision will allow them to hold more regular meetings and focus their efforts on building bonds.
“There were many times when we were on our way to a meeting and then we got a call and had to leave. We never got around to it,” she said.
The team will continue to respond to major emergencies and White said all patrols will remain staffed during his absence.
White and Knott said they hope to continue their previous events, such as Sleigh Bells and Sirens and an annual Halloween celebration, and that with a dedicated team behind the scenes, more events will be planned.
