Council hears proposal for employment contracts to recoup police training costs

A city public-safety presenter outlined a proposal for employment contracts that would require newly hired officers to acknowledge a repayment obligation for training costs if they leave within the contract period.

The presenter told council that "It is a new concept for us. It's a new proposal, and it is based on an existing KRS, that you all likely have in your notes there," and that the agreement is intended to "insulate ourselves in scenarios like this where we may bring somebody on, invest heavily in them from a training standpoint, and then have them turn around and go to another department." The presenter said the agreement would generally run for five years and would not be retroactive.

Why it matters: Council members framed the proposal as a retention and cost-recovery measure. Under the proposal, if a trained officer leaves for another agency, the hiring agency would be responsible for covering the contract's stated "total cost," though both the mayor and the chief of police would retain discretion to reduce or waive repayment in some cases.

Details from the presentation: the staff member said an applicant would be asked to sign the contract at the point of hiring and that "it is then their responsibility to notify whoever the agency is they might be wanting to go to that they have signed into one of these contracts." Staff also described the policy as grounded in a Kentucky Revised Statute (KRS) reference dating to about 2023.

Council action and next steps: After questions from council about retroactivity and who would pay, the mayor called for a voice vote and the motion was approved by the body. Council did not provide detailed amendments during the session; staff are expected to provide final contract language and follow-up details as the item moves forward.

The session then moved on to other agenda items.