2007 Chief of the Year Award

Chief Danny Carpenter

Retired Flemingsburg Police Department

The 2007 Kentucky Association of Chiefs of Police Chief of the Year award was presented to Chief Danny Carpenter, Retired Chief of Police of the Flemingsburg Police Department at the association’s annual conference in Louisville on August 1, 2007.

Danny Carpenter grew up on a farm in rural Eastern Kentucky.  He helped his family by working in the hayfields and tobacco patches.  His spare time was spent at the courthouse with his grandfather who was a deputy sheriff and his uncle who was a state trooper.  This time spent with them kindled his interest in law enforcement.

After graduating in 1970, Danny attended Eastern Kentucky University.  He spent his 27 years in law enforcement with the same department, uncharacteristically, the last 17 of these as Chief of Police.

As Chief he was able to establish one of the first home fleet vehicle programs for a small size department, which he felt was the backbone of his agency.  Danny wanted all the officers to have uniform duty weapons to facilitate training and safety, so he provided them for his men.

Even though his was only a seven officer department with a limited budget and small tax base, he worked tirelessly to obtain Hazardous Duty Retirement for them.

Danny worked countless hours to obtain thousands of dollars in grants to improve training, equipment, and the monies needed to hire additional much needed officers.

Throughout his career, Danny has served on numerous boards both in his community and professionally.  In doing this he has accomplished the securing of official and personal cooperation among law enforcement executives and the citizens of Kentucky, which exemplifies the mission of the KACP.  This involvement has also allowed him to create friendships throughout the state.

He has been an active member of the KACP and the Regional Chair for the Northeastern Region for the past 13 years.

The KACP feels Danny Carpenter is very deserving of the Chief of the Year award because of the hard work and excellent leadership abilities he has exhibited.  He is a sterling example of the integrity and professionalism that the Kentucky Chief's of Police exemplifies.

Congratulations Chief Carpenter!