Bellevue Chief of Police Wayne Turner, a veteran law enforcement officer and military veteran, has been honored for his leadership by the Northern Kentucky Police Chiefs Association.
Last year, Turner helped secure millions of dollars in training funds for his fellow officers across the state
Turner was presented the Charles T. Donaldson Leadership Award during the Northern Kentucky Police Chiefs Association annual awards ceremony Jan. 21 at Thomas More College in Crestview Hills.
The award annually recognizes a Northern Kentucky police officer who has demonstrated the characteristics of leadership and community service, shows outstanding accomplishments on the job and performs special acts of service in the public interest.
“I am both humbled and honored to be recognized by my fellow police chiefs for progressive and transparent work on advancing legislation,” said Turner, a Thomas More College graduate. “Chief Charles T. Donaldson was a lifelong and well-respected leader in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and especially in Northern Kentucky. Working to improve responsiveness and professionalism of law enforcement not only in Northern Kentucky but across the state is a high and distinct honor that is incredibly rewarding. ”
As a member of the Kentucky Association of Chiefs of Police (KACP) Executive Board and chairman of the KACP Legislative Committee, Chief Turner represents police chiefs and the interests of law enforcement officers across the state. During the 2016 legislative session, Chief Turner worked with other organizations – including the Kentucky League of Cities, Kentucky Sheriff’s Association and the Kentucky Fraternal Order of Police – on securing a $4,000 annual training stipend for law enforcement officers.
Chief Turner also worked with Sen. Danny Carroll, R-Paducah, to pass the “rehire bill”, which allows city police departments to rehire retired law enforcement officers without making contributions to retirement or reimbursing or providing health insurance benefits to the officer. The bill was seen an initiative to save city cities money while putting experienced officers back on the street.
“A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way and shows the way,” said Alexandria Police Chief Mike Ward, who nominated Chief Turner for the award and who worked closely with him in Frankfort last year. “Chief Wayne Turner stepped up to the plate and on behalf of Kentucky law enforcement and became intimately familiar with the halls of our state capital. Chief Turner is a credit to himself, the Northern Kentucky Police Chiefs Association and to the law enforcement community of this great Commonwealth.”
Chief Turner is the immediate past president of the Northern Kentucky Police Chiefs Association and has served as an executive board member since 2012. Prior to joining the Bellevue Police Department Chief Turner served with the Fort Thomas Police Department.
He is once again advocating for law enforcement and the KACP during the current 2017 session of the Kentucky General Assembly.
City of Bellevue