County Swears In 2 New Deputies Including A Former City Policeman

By Ted Cox
tcox@garrardcentralrecord.com

As two more city officers were being dismissed this past week, two new deputies were sworn in to the Sheriff’s Department to fill two openings, including a former Lancaster City Police officer who was terminated in December.

Jeremy Smith, who served the Lancaster Police Department for nearly a year, said the opportunity right here in Garrard was a “blessing.

“I look forward to serving the citizens of Garrard County. I work with a great bunch of guys,” he said.

James Napier, former constable in the fifth district,  began academy training March 22 and will graduate August 6.

“He'll be a certified officer at that point once out of the academy.,” Wardrip said.

There are 18 weeks of school Napier must complete during his first year in order deputy sheriff according to the Police Officers Professional Standards. He can work in the meantime as long as the training is complete within the year.

Napier has served the county as constable for three years. Upon his election he inquired if Wardrip would consider him for a job when the next opening became available putting him first on the list.

Smith took a second position left open after Willie Skeens left to serve a task force in Pikeville. Smith came in and asked if any jobs would be opening after being terminated from the city force.

Napier, who is already familiar with the county through his work as constable, is looking forward to the opportunity.

“I was constable for three years. I worked closely with the sheriff's department here,” Napier said. “When a position came open Ronnie gave me the opportunity to go to work, so I joined up with them. They have a real good staff here. I grew up with a lot of the guys. I just wanted to be a part of that. We all get along really good. As constable I liked what I saw and liked the deal they have going over here. I'm glad to be a part of it.”

Keith Addison will be attached to the state police drug-task force through grant funding, but will maintain his position in the Sheriff’s Department and continue to work in Garrard County

The Garrard County Fiscal Court authorized, in November, an agreement that would share resources between Garrard’s drug-task force and the Kentucky State Police Drug Task Force as well as the federal Drug Enforcement Agency. The agreement could bring more drug-seizure funds back to the county.

It also allowed Addison to serve on a state police drug-task force. His salary would be paid through that funding.

“That grant's funded two years to pay toward his salary,” Sheriff Ronnie Wardrip said. “That gave me the funds in order to hire another deputy.”

Addison will still be eliminating drugs in Garrard County.

“If any drug seizure money comes out of that it comes back to us through the federal government so it could work out to be a big benefit,“ Wardrip said.