Kenton County and the City of Covington are joining together on a program to steer people struggling with addiction, mental health issues and other social crises away from the criminal justice system and toward treatment and recovery.
On Tuesday, the Kenton County Fiscal Court executed an interlocal agreement with the City of Covington to establish a multi-jurisdictional police navigator program. Under the agreement, Covington will allocate a portion of its opioid abatement settlement funds to finance a sustainable police navigator program.
The Kenton County Police Department website describes a law enforcement navigator as a non-sworn, administrative position that provides social services support to the police force.
Navigators follow up on police referrals related to substance use, mental health crises, domestic violence, abuse or neglect, homelessness and other social issues. Their duties include performing home visits, collaborating with local service providers, and supporting crime victims with court assistance and recovery plans.
A 2024 study published in the Journal of Police and Criminal Psychology found that due to the dismantling of the mental health care system in the United States, law enforcement officers are increasingly required to shoulder the responsibility of responding to people experiencing mental health crises.
This phenomenon has not only increased the burden on law enforcement officials and police resources but also resulted in disproportionately higher arrest and incarceration rates for those involved.
To address this issue, some police departments have established programs enabling police officers and social workers to respond jointly to mental health-related incidents. Kenton County launched its program in June, announcing plans to hire four police navigators. So far, Kenton County officials view the program as a success.
Kenton County Judge/Executive Kris Knochelmann touted the program’s effectiveness during the fiscal court meeting.
“It’s a true partnership where they’ve not tried to do it on their own,” he said. “They’re contributing to the bigger picture. It’s a great, great work and very appreciated.”
Covington joins the ranks of Crescent Springs, Lakeside Park, Taylor Mill, Villa Hills, Fort Mitchell and Crestview Hills as cities that have committed opioid abatement funds to the program in exchange for access to the navigator’s services.
Kenton County Police Captain Chris Pittaluga said the navigators are actively working on 27 cases since the program launched this October.
“Every day they’ve been out interacting with community partners, networking, finding resources, coming up with ideas that I never even heard of in 18 years in law enforcement, of how to get people connected to things,” he said.
The program is funded through an opioid abatement settlement fund, which resulted from a $26 billion agreement between multiple states and some of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the United States, specifically drug distributors McKesson Corp., AmeriSourceBergen, and Cardinal Health, as well as manufacturer Johnson & Johnson.
Out of the $478 million settlement funds allocated to the Commonwealth of Kentucky, the state received half, while the remaining half went to local governments.
