Michael “Spike” Jones, current Kenton County police chief and former Covington police chief, was voted in as Covington’s assistant city manager Tuesday night. Jones will work under City Manager Sharmili Reddy, and will conclude his role as the Kenton County police chief on Sept. 11. Jones has had a long career in law enforcement. He […]
Category: Crime
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No vote on Covington Axon contract, city to host public forum
What you need to know A $6 million, 10-year contract with Axon Enterprises stalled at the Covington Board of Commissioners meeting this week. In a two-hour meeting marked by public outcry and confusion over parliamentary procedure, the commissioners finally agreed to hold a public forum on the topic sometime within the next 30 days. An […]
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Independence to remove Flock cameras
The mayor of Independence announced in a written statement Monday that the city would “immediately begin the process of removing the Flock Safety cameras from the City of Independence.” “Good government requires more than simply making the decision we believe is best,” writes Mayor Chris Reinersman. “It also requires listening to the people we were […]
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Covington weighs $6M police tech deal for license plate readers, AI and drone
Covington will vote to renew and extend its contract with Axon Enterprise, a company that makes police body cams, automatic license plate readers and other police tech, next week. Worth just over $6 million, the new 10-year contract will include mobile license plate reader cameras for squad cars, a new police drone, tasers, new AI-integrated […]
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Universal opposition to Flock cameras expressed at Independence meeting
What you need to know It was standing room only Monday night in Independence at a special public meeting about the city’s use of Flock Safety automatic license plate readers, or ALPRs. No official action took place at the meeting, but it marked the latest in a series of public outcries against the technology in […]
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Driver sentenced to 10 years in Gloria San Miguel’s death released
The man who pleaded guilty to striking and killing a cyclist in 2022 on the 11th Street Bridge has been released on parole and filed a motion for the return of his belongings, including the truck he was driving when he fatally struck Gloria San Miguel. ​San Miguel was riding her bike on the 11th […]
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Sexual abuse conviction prompts calls for Highland Heights council member’s resignation
Highland Heights City Council members called for Councilmember Jesse Hockenbury’s immediate resignation Tuesday after he entered an Alford plea to third-degree sexual abuse, resulting in a criminal conviction. During its Aug. 4 meeting, the council entered an executive session to discuss Hockenbury’s possible removal. Councilmember Rene Heinrich proposed the closed-door session, citing the need for […]
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Independence to host town hall on Flock cameras
The Independence City Council will host a public town hall on Monday, Aug. 17 to discuss the city’s use of Flock Safety devices. The meeting will be open to all city residents and is designed to gather public feedback on the use of the technology by Independence PD, which was among the first departments in […]
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103 Flock devices are watching Northern Kentucky roads. Are they in your neighborhood?
CORRECTION: The original version of this story contained some mathematical errors. The relevant lines have been corrected.–Aug. 18, 2026. There are currently 103 Flock Safety devices approved for use in Boone, Kenton and Campbell Counties, with more on the way. Flock Safety is a company that makes automatic license plate readers and other surveillance technology. […]
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Police training to take place at Twenhofel Middle School Tuesday
Independence Police, Kenton County Police and the Kenton County Sheriff’s Office will use Twenhofel Middle School in Independence to perform active shooter response training exercises on Tuesday. “As part of this training, community members may observe an increased police presence in the area surrounding Twenhofel Middle School and Hickory Grove Baptist Church,” according to a […]