UK Police Department to lead multi-agency full-scale crisis exercise Nov. 20
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Nov. 14, 2025) — On Thursday, Nov. 20, the University of Kentucky will host a full-scale crisis exercise near Kroger Field, led by the UK Police Department (UKPD) and Division of Crisis Management and Preparedness.
This exercise will begin around 8 a.m. and will finish in the afternoon. If you see large numbers of emergency response personnel on campus, including police, fire and EMS, do not be alarmed — this is only a drill. Community members should be aware that some parking near Kroger Field will be impacted that day.
The exercise is designed to test and strengthen the university’s emergency response systems in a realistic, fast-moving scenario, all part of UK’s ongoing commitment to preparedness and safety.
“These exercises are about more than just response time,” said UK Police Chief Joe Monroe. “They test communication under pressure, the flow of information, how different agencies work together, and ultimately, how we protect our students, faculty, staff and visitors when it matters most.”
The exercise will involve a range of partners including UK HealthCare, UK Public Relations and Strategic Communications, and personnel from the Emergency Operations Center, all working from a single scenario, played out over several hours in a designated area of campus. Local, state and federal law enforcement will also participate.
While operations will remain open and safe for daily activities, community members may notice emergency vehicles, role-players and a visible increase in the presence of first responders. Everything will be clearly marked and communicated as part of the exercise.
The goal? Realism. Coordination. And improvement.
Each full-scale exercise provides UKPD and its partners with an opportunity to refine protocols, practice inter-agency coordination, and identify gaps or areas for improvement.
But beyond the technical aspects, Monroe said, these exercises also serve as an important reminder.
“Safety isn’t just about one department or one day. It’s about readiness,” Monroe said. Our hope is that these exercises encourage everyone to take a moment and ask, ‘Am I prepared? Do I know what to do?’ That awareness, that mindset, is something we want across our campus.”
As always, UK reminds the community to be Wildcat Ready by:
- Reviewing UK’s Emergency Response Guide;
- signing up for UK Alert via phone call and text; and
- downloading and exploring the SafeZone app.
Whether you’re in a classroom, lab, residence hall or office, preparedness starts with you. It’s part of what it means to be Wildcat Ready.
For more information about UKPD’s safety efforts or emergency preparedness at UK, visit police.uky.edu or contact the Division of Crisis Management & Preparedness at CMP@uky.edu.
As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.