Behind the Blue: Talking Campus Safety With Police Chief Joe Monroe

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Dec. 14, 2016) — Since the early 1900s, the University of Kentucky Police Department has been a part of the campus community. Originally serving as a night watchman service, the UK department (along with all state universities) was given the power of a full police agency by a 1972 Kentucky legislative statute. Since then, it has grown into the 12th largest police department in the state of Kentucky.

UK Police Chief Joe Monroe has also seen his fair share of growth during his time with the department. A native of Cynthiana, Kentucky, Monroe has been a part of UK Police since 1994. He has worked to strike a balance of learning from the past and adapting for future challenges, all while attempting to maintain transparency for his department — something he feels is ever important in today’s tenuous times.

"Behind the Blue" sat down with Monroe to discuss the history of UK Police, his thoughts on the future of campus safety, and how recent assaults on college campuses around the country can inform both his department and the campus community at-large on efforts to maintain safety.

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