June 5 – Chief Lawrence Weathers, Lexington Police, and Doug Ashford, Bluegrass Crime Stoppers

How safe are we in Lexington?  Today this “top of mind” issue will be addressed by two experts, one from the public sector, one from the private sector. 

Lexington’s Chief Lawrence B. Weathers is a native of Lexington Kentucky. He joined the Lexington Division of Police in 1989. He has a Masters of Science Degree in Criminal Justice from Eastern Kentucky University and graduated from the University of Kentucky with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration. 

He began his police career as a patrol officer and has worked as a supervisor in every Bureau of the Lexington Police Department from his promotion to Sergeant in 1997 through his appointment to Assistant Chief in 2014. 

In July of 2016 Assistant Chief Weathers was selected as the Director of Law Enforcement for Fayette County Public Schools. As the Director of Law Enforcement, he was responsible for the safety and security of all Fayette County Public School students, staff, and visitors, as well as their properties. 

On March 4, 2018 Lawrence Weathers was sworn in as Chief of Police of the Lexington Police Department. The Lexington Police Department has over 600 sworn Officers and over 80 Civilian employees. As Chief of Police, he is responsible for responding to the public safety needs and concerns for all of the citizens of Fayette County. 

Chief Weathers is a certified Police Instructor, a member of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (N.O.B.L.E) and the International Association of Chiefs of Police (I.A.C.P.). Chief Weathers also volunteers to assist with educating parents and youth about the effects illicit drugs and violence has on our community. 

Chief Weathers is married and has three children. 

He is joined today by David Ashford, the President and CEO of Integrated Security Solutions and CEO of APB Consulting Solutions.  

Integrated Security Solutions (ISS) is a woman and veteran owned business headquartered in Nicholasville Kentucky, specializing in physical security needs such as video surveillance, access control and alarms. Strongly centered in the retail and commercial security market, ISS supports over 30,000 locations across the United States. A Kentucky native, David began his career as a US Marine, serving for ten years as a Military Policeman and weapons instructor (active and reserve). Following the Marines, he transitioned to civilian law enforcement as a Beaufort Police officer and later a Deputy Sherriff with Fayette County, ultimately joining the Lexington Division of Police and retiring as a Sergeant in 2012. David’s areas of focus and experience during his time with Lexington police included patrol, Emergency Response Unit special operations team member and instructor, recruit training academy instructor/supervisor, and Assistant Commander of the Honor Guard.  

One of the courses David developed was the active shooter response training curriculum and related department policy. David was later tasked with building the advanced active short training curriculum and trained 1,000+ officers to respond to this type of incident. In 2010, David joined Integrated Security Solutions President and CEO of leading a dedicated staff of 45 team members. 

In 2018 David joined APB Consulting Solutions as a member/partner with a focus of helping businesses prepare to deal with active shooter threats in the workplace, facility threat assessments, training, and related technology.  

David currently serves as the Chair of the Bluegrass Crimestoppers board, serving the greater Bluegrass area of Kentucky. David, a native Kentuckian, is married to his wife Kristin, and they have four children and a beautiful granddaughter. On days off, they enjoy exercising, hiking, gardening, and traveling.  

Rotary in Review  

 HOW SAFE ARE WE IN LEXINGTON?  

 It’s a question that seems to surface in every community conversation, neighborhood gathering, and social media thread: How safe are we in Lexington? 

 Last week’s program brought together two highly respected voices on public safety to tackle that very question from both the public and private sectors. Lexington Police Chief Lawrence B. Weathers and David Ashford, President and CEO of Integrated Security Solutions and Chair of Bluegrass Crime Stoppers, offered an informative and reassuring look at the state of safety in our community. 

 Ashford, a former Lexington Police sergeant and U.S. Marine military policeman, focused much of his presentation on the important role that citizens play in helping law enforcement keep communities safe. Through Bluegrass Crime Stoppers, residents can anonymously provide information that helps solve crimes while protecting their identities. 

 “People are still the best temperature of what’s going on in the community,” Ashford said, noting that Crime Stoppers provides a confidential avenue for those who may fear retaliation or simply don’t want to become publicly involved. He later reinforced the importance of public participation, telling Rotarians, “Police departments cannot do it by themselves. They’ve got to have help from the community.” 

 The results speak for themselves. Over the past several years, Bluegrass Crime Stoppers has received more than 6,400 tips, leading to over 300 arrests, more than 570 felony charges, and the resolution of twenty homicide cases. The program has also helped remove illegal drugs, firearms, and other dangerous items from local streets. 

 Chief Weathers emphasized that while law enforcement plays a critical role, community involvement remains one of the most important factors in maintaining public safety. 

 “Lexington is one of the best-run cities in the country,” Weathers said, explaining that comparisons between cities can be difficult because of differing circumstances and demographics. Still, he noted that Lexington frequently ranks among the nation’s most desirable communities and credited strong citizen engagement as a key reason why. 

 One of the most compelling moments of the presentation came when Ashford praised the Lexington Police Department’s professionalism and national reputation. He highlighted the department’s long-standing accreditation through the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) and noted that Lexington became the first agency in the United States to earn three consecutive flagship designations, a distinction reserved for departments that exemplify national best practices. 

 “The Lexington Police Department is one of the best police departments in the United States,” Ashford said, citing both the department’s professionalism and its commitment to continuous improvement. 

 The discussion also touched on emerging challenges. Chief Weathers cited thefts from vehicles, particularly thefts of firearms left inside cars, as one of the community’s most persistent concerns. He encouraged residents to remove valuables and firearms from vehicles whenever possible, noting that many thieves specifically target unlocked cars in search of weapons. 

 While both speakers highlighted the professionalism of Lexington’s law enforcement community, they also emphasized that public safety remains a shared responsibility. Weathers credited Lexington’s engaged citizenry as a major factor in the city’s success. 

 “Community involvement changes all of that,” Weathers said. “If we don’t have that community involvement, then things can get out of whack.” 

 Ashford echoed that sentiment, noting that Crime Stoppers’ mission is ultimately about empowering citizens to become part of the solution. 

 “We’re really trying to make it uncomfortable to do business here,” he said of the organization’s efforts to disrupt criminal activity. “We want them to go someplace else and do business.” 

 The answer to the question, “How safe are we in Lexington?” appears to be encouraging. Thanks to a highly regarded police department, engaged community partners, and vigilant citizens, Lexington remains one of Kentucky’s safest and most livable communities. As both speakers reminded us, maintaining that reputation depends on all of us working together.