The Fort Wright Police Department swore several officers into new positions at a June 19 special city council meeting. The city welcomed the newly sworn-in Chief Jonathan Colwell, Captain Robert Griffin and Sergeant Nick VonHandorf to their leadership.
This string of promotions is a direct result of former Police Chief Ed Butler’s resignation. Butler recently took a position as the Director of Campus Safety for Thomas More University. LINK nky asked Butler at his last city council meeting on June 5, 2024 about what his moving on means for the department.
“More than anything else, I’m glad this gives the opportunity for great officers to be promoted,” Butler said.
The three officers promoted have been with the department for many years. In such a small department, upward mobility is hard to come by.
Mayor Dave Hatter offered remarks after swearing in the officers.
“I am thrilled to have the three of you promoted in our leadership team,” Hatter said. “I think it’s a testament to your character and your reputation that such a large number of people have shown up here tonight. We’re very happy to have you here.”
Chief Colwell said he is is optimistic about the future of the department.
“Thank you, mayor and council, for your confidence in me, Rob, and Nick,” Colwell said. “We’ve got a great team in place here. We’ll do good.”
There will soon be more opportunities for upward mobility, with the Fort Wright Police Department reclassifying a police specialist as a detective. This means giving a current officer the title of “detective,” along with both detective and patrol officer duties. The city made this official by passing its annual personnel classification plan.
“The fact is, Fort Wright is the third or fourth busiest police department in Kenton County,” Hatter said. “Thankfully, due to traffic more than crime. A detective would not be doing exclusively ‘detective work.’ They would be filling in gaps when needed.”
The city has debated for many years whether there would be enough work for a detective in Fort Wright. Former police Chief Butler and current Chief Colwell have been in favor of creating this position.
LINK asked Chief Colwell to explain the benefits of having a detective on the force.
“The biggest reason we need a detective is that it is a public service,” Colwell said. “This would allow the police department to better serve the community, follow up on crimes, and be in touch with victims and residents.”
Additionally, the officer reclassified as a detective would keep a different schedule. A detective would work more during the week and regular business hours. This allows them to follow up with people quicker and more reliably.
“Basically, it gives us a better way to deliver better customer service to Fort Wright,” Colwell said.