City to hire expert to determine appropriate size of police force

And exactly how would that improve operations?

Great suggestion!!! Capt. Thompson was a great commanding officer, he drove a marked car while the other command thought a marked car was the plague.

Agreed! Patrol Sergeants are in marked cars, makes sense to put the Patrol Lieutenants in marked cars too.

You want to know the real reason Lieutenants are not in marked cars? Even those that are in patrol positions? MONEY. The department can purchase an unmarked car directly from a dealer lot (through the state contract)at cost and it will be delivered in a few days or less. All they have to do than is add some lights and bingo, it's ready. They did mark a few of these (Taurus) but those were only done to work out the final marking for the new interceptors as they were not available at the time and were based on the Taurus. Police package vehicles are more expensive to purchase and to operate and the final cost when outfitted is close to $10K more than the base model Taurus off the lot. They put patrol Sergeants in unmarked cars as well several times in recent history when times were tight and money was the only determining factor than just like it is today.

Everyone except folks doing true investigation are legally required to be in cars marked at least minimally - up to and including the chief (or the mayor, for that matter).

186.067b Publicly owned vehicles, how marked -- Exceptions.

(1) All publicly owned vehicles shall be properly identified by an insignia on one (1)

door on each side of every such vehicle.

(2) Such insignia shall not be less than twelve (12) inches in width and not less than twenty-one (21) inches in length, of a design so chosen by the legislative body of the state, county, or city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

(3) The legislative body may designate a separate insignia for each division,

department, agency, bureau or any other authority as may come under their

jurisdiction within the state, county or city within the Commonwealth of

Kentucky.

(4) Publicly owned vehicle, as used in this section, means any vehicle paid for with

public funds and used by an elected or appointed official or employee of the state, county or city within the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

(5) Nothing in this section shall be construed to abrogate the provisions of KRS 44.045 and 186.065.

(6) The legislative body of any county or city may exempt from the provisions of this section any vehicle used for investigatory purposes.