ASHLAND – Local police chief received state-wide recognition for his dedication to the community and police force, and received the prestigious award of Chief of the Year for 2019.
Ashland Police Department Chief Todd Kelley has been named the Kentucky Association of Chiefs Police (KACP) 2019 Chief of the Year.
Kelley received the award during the KACP 2019 Executive Conference that was held July 28 through August 1 in Owensboro.
"I want to thank the KACP for this recognition, for which I am truly humbled and honored to receive," Kelley said. "Leadership is the key but having a great staff and great officers that believe in what you are doing speaks volumes. I accept this honor with the men and women of the Ashland Police Department and thank my teammates of the City of Ashland leadership and all employees who are also part of my team."
An Ashland native, Kelley is the son of former Ashland Police Chief and Mayor Tom Kelley. He is a 32-year veteran of the Ashland Police Department. He was promoted to chief in 2016 after serving as patrolman, sergeant, lieutenant, captain and major.
In presenting the award, KACP Executive Director Shawn Butler described Kelley as not only a "cops' cop", but also someone who wants to give back to his community.
"Those who know and work with Chief Kelley say that he continues to strive to make the Ashland Police Department the most professional in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and in the United States," Butler said. "For so many reasons and due to his many accomplishments and commitment to law enforcement, we are honored to have Todd Kelley as the 2019 recipient of KACP Police Chief of the Year."
Kelley said throughout his career he has seen the toll that serving in law enforcement can have on an officer. So, he has launched a wellness program to assist officers in coping with the events and stresses of the profession.
"We currently promote physical wellness, but mental wellness is also vital," Kelley said." Our current plan is to add an in-house counselor for this program that can be a model for the state and even the nation. As chief, it has always been a priority that every officer goes home safely every day.”
Kelley has been recognized for his accomplishments in increased community and police relationships, a Neighborhood Watch effort, serving as the KACP representative to the Governor's Executive Committee on Highway Safety, increased home compensation for officers, updated equipment and started a take-fleet program, securing a position for a narcotics officer within a task force in the Kentucky, Ohio, and West Virginia Tri-State area, and with the assistance of his command staff, implementing new drug investigation and interdiction techniques that have yielded a 233 percent increase in narcotic arrests over the past three years.
Kelley is also recognized for joining with his sister, Tracey Kelley, the Boyd County Circuit Clerk, to promote local organ donation through the use of cruiser decals, and encouraged fellow officers to become organ donors.
Kelley supported “No Shave November” at the department and raised $1,100 to donate to the American Cancer Society and displayed markings for Autism, Breast Cancer Awareness, and support of the military.
The KACP was founded in 1971 to secure official and personal cooperation among law enforcement executives and the citizens of Kentucky.
Based in Madisonville, KACP has a membership of more than 500 law enforcement executives including municipal and county police chiefs, sheriffs, state and federal law enforcement administrators and railroad police.
KACP assists its membership with accreditation, training, advocacy, and a discount on liability insurance through the Kentucky League of Cities.
The KACP provides financial assistance to law enforcement students, Special Olympics, Police Memorial Foundation, Concerns of Police Survivors and in addition, each KACP region is awarded funding for training and meetings throughout the year.
KACP also partners with The Department of Criminal Justice Training, The Regional Community Policing Institute and the U.S. Attorney's Offices in Kentucky to provide timely information on topics of interest to law enforcement executives.
