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Laird Named New Paducah Police Chief

Laird Named New Paducah Police Chief
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By West Kentucky Star Staff
Dec. 17, 2018 | PADUCAH
By West Kentucky Star Staff Dec. 17, 2018 | 07:10 PM | PADUCAH
The Paducah City Commission named Brian G. Laird as the department’s next chief at a special called meeting Monday night.

Laird, 40, has served as Assistant Chief of the Support Services Division since May, 2018. He replaces Chief Brandon Barnhill, who will retire at the end of December. Laird assumes the leadership of the department on January 1st.

“I am honored that the Paducah City Commission has placed their trust in me to lead the Paducah Police Department into the future,” Laird said. “Our department is among the best trained and most professional in the Commonwealth, and it will be my privilege to serve as chief of police.”

Laird began his law enforcement career as a patrol officer with the Paducah Police Department in 2001. Since then, he has served and supervised in all divisions of the department as detective, sergeant, captain and assistant chief. Laird has a Bachelor’s Degree from Murray State University and a Master’s Degree from the University of Louisville. He is a 2017 recipient of the FBI Law Enforcement Executive Development Association Leadership Trilogy Award. In 2014, he completed the 131st session of the Administrative Officer’s Course/Executive Leadership Program through the Southern Police Institute.

He also is a graduate of the Kentucky Department of Criminal Justice Executive Development Program and Academy of Police Supervision. In 2013, he received the Gary L. Reese Award for outstanding leadership and distinguished career service, and was the Paducah Police Department’s 2006 Employee of the Year.

Laird is a member of the Downtown Kiwanis Club, where he currently is serving his fourth term on the Board of Directors. He is an alumnus of Leadership Paducah. He also is a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the Kentucky Association of Chiefs of Police, the Fraternal Order of Police, and a past president of the Paducah Police Collective Bargaining Unit.

Laird grew up in Metropolis, IL, and is the son of Barry and Lynn Laird of Metropolis. He and his wife, Jennifer, reside in Paducah with their two children.

In other business, the commission approved the adoption of the City of Paducah Mission Statement and Organizational Values, approved a demolition bid package in the amount of $32,000 for the Kresge building at 318 Broadway.

They also approved municipal orders adopting the Jackson Purchase Regional Multi-Jurisdictional Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan Update, approved submission of an application to the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency for the FY2018 Fire Prevention and Safety Grant for $63,683.25, and approved authorizing a $28,943.94 payment to Concord Fire District for annexed property.

In addition, the commission honored outgoing commissioners Sarah Stewart Holland and Allan Rhodes, Jr. for their service to the city, as the Monday meeting was the last for their terms as commissioners.
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