Staff report
The Northern Kentucky Police Chiefs Association is among eight Kentucky law enforcement agencies to receive funding to support officer mental health as part of the attorney general’s new ‘Stand by the Badge’ program.
The funding, announced Wednesday during a press conference in Covington, will allow the association to support mental health services to over 50 agencies across eight Northern Kentucky counties.
As part of the program, the Attorney General Russell Coleman’s office has launched a secure website for officers, deputies and troopers to access peers and resources to support them mentally, spiritually, and financially. A toolkit of best practices is also available to guide agencies across Kentucky to establish their own peer-support infrastructure.
The office is also seeking additional funding to further expand the ‘Stand by the Badge’ initiative.
Selected agencies receive $5,000 for expenses including overtime for peer support specialists, training and education for peer support and wellness, and equipment for the teams.
In addition to the Northern Kentucky Police Chiefs Association, other first-round recipients included the Ashland Police Department, Daviess County Detention Center, Elizabethtown Police Department, Laurel County Sheriff’s Office, Paducah Police Department, the Scott County Sheriff’s Office, and the Warren County Sheriff’s Office.
The AG’s Peer Support Grant Program was made possible through a grant from the nonprofit, bipartisan Attorney General Alliance.