NEWS - LEXINGTON Police
Embattled Lexington police department has new chief
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July 30, 2014 7:00 am • By Edith Brady-Lunny [email protected]
LEXINGTON — After seven weeks without a functioning police department, the Lexington City Council has hired a new police chief to take over the department that was shut down after problems were uncovered with how police reports were handled.
David Belvery will start Aug. 11, said Christopher Phelps, chairman of the city’s police committee.
The new chief, who will have a starting salary of $50,000, was selected from a field of 22 candidates for the job left vacant by the June 7 resignation of David Schneider. Belvery comes from Creve Coeur, where he worked for 20 years, including a stint as interim chief.
Among Belvery’s first tasks will be reviewing the department and three part-time officers who were laid off in June as part of the department’s reorganization, said Phelps.
“Our intent is to bring the officers back, but the chief’s assessment will be part of that process,” said Phelps.
Under a contract with Lexington, the McLean County Sheriff’s Department has provided patrols and police services to Lexington since the local department was effectively closed. That agreement will likely continue until early September, said Phelps.
Phelps said he hopes the department can move forward and return to professional standards that give people confidence that their complaints will be effectively handled.
“The county has done a fantastic job handling things. We see the hiring of a new chief as an opportunity for Lexington to get its police department up and running as soon as possible,” said Phelps.
The county will assist the new chief.
“We look forward to working with the new chief and helping him with the transition,” said Sheriff Mike Emery.
Issues surfaced with Schneider’s administration after Emery notified Lexington Mayor John Mohr that reports of burglaries and other crimes were not showing up in the county’s computerized reporting system. The lack of reporting hindered the sheriff’s department and other agencies, including state police, in linking potential crimes.
More than 100 reports have not been entered into the network since 2008, Emery told the mayor. The incidents included sex offenses, property and drug crimes and domestic violence incidents. The sheriff’s department expects to complete its review of the reports by the time Belvery arrives to determine if charges can still be filed on any of the potential crimes.
The local agency also has issues with its evidence room where drugs, cash, guns and other items collected during investigations were left unmarked.
David Belvery will start Aug. 11, said Christopher Phelps, chairman of the city’s police committee.
The new chief, who will have a starting salary of $50,000, was selected from a field of 22 candidates for the job left vacant by the June 7 resignation of David Schneider. Belvery comes from Creve Coeur, where he worked for 20 years, including a stint as interim chief.
Among Belvery’s first tasks will be reviewing the department and three part-time officers who were laid off in June as part of the department’s reorganization, said Phelps.
“Our intent is to bring the officers back, but the chief’s assessment will be part of that process,” said Phelps.
Under a contract with Lexington, the McLean County Sheriff’s Department has provided patrols and police services to Lexington since the local department was effectively closed. That agreement will likely continue until early September, said Phelps.
Phelps said he hopes the department can move forward and return to professional standards that give people confidence that their complaints will be effectively handled.
“The county has done a fantastic job handling things. We see the hiring of a new chief as an opportunity for Lexington to get its police department up and running as soon as possible,” said Phelps.
The county will assist the new chief.
“We look forward to working with the new chief and helping him with the transition,” said Sheriff Mike Emery.
Issues surfaced with Schneider’s administration after Emery notified Lexington Mayor John Mohr that reports of burglaries and other crimes were not showing up in the county’s computerized reporting system. The lack of reporting hindered the sheriff’s department and other agencies, including state police, in linking potential crimes.
More than 100 reports have not been entered into the network since 2008, Emery told the mayor. The incidents included sex offenses, property and drug crimes and domestic violence incidents. The sheriff’s department expects to complete its review of the reports by the time Belvery arrives to determine if charges can still be filed on any of the potential crimes.
The local agency also has issues with its evidence room where drugs, cash, guns and other items collected during investigations were left unmarked.