The Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council on Thursday approved three employee discipline cases — two from the police department and one from the fire department — including a one-day suspension for a police officer cited for repeated failures to communicate professionally with the public.
Officer Caleb Crony received the most severe punishment of the three, drawing a one-day suspension without pay after an internal investigation found he had demonstrated an inability to de-escalate encounters and speak to citizens in a professional manner, both on and off duty. The formal complaint was filed Nov. 12, 2025, and cited a violation of the department’s unsatisfactory performance standard.
Police Chief Lawrence Weathers told the council that Crony had accumulated numerous issues over the previous eight months. It was the officer’s second formal complaint since being hired in January 2020.
The case prompted questions from several council members. Council Member Morton asked whether Crony would receive retraining tied to the behavior. Weathers said supervisors always incorporate retraining and coaching when handling such complaints, and noted that officers can be placed on a performance development plan for more intensive monitoring if supervisors deem it necessary.
Council Member Brown pressed Weathers on the use of the word “numerous” in the discipline report and whether the complaints originated externally or internally. Weathers explained that in his interpretation, “numerous” typically equates to three or four incidents, while “multiple” would indicate five to nine and “several” more than nine.
As for the origin of the complaints, Weathers said supervisors are required to review body camera footage and will flag conduct that falls outside policy. He added that citizen complaints can also trigger investigations, though in Crony’s case no outside party chose to file a formal complaint — supervisors moved forward on their own.
Council Member Baxter thanked the chief for holding officers to a high standard, calling the process a sign that the department takes professionalism seriously.
In the first police discipline of the evening, the council approved a written reprimand and retraining for Officer Christopher Jackson, who was the subject of a formal complaint filed Oct. 23, 2025, also for unsatisfactory performance. Weathers said Jackson had demonstrated a lack of knowledge and proficiency regarding department policy, general orders, special orders, executive orders and Kentucky Revised Statutes. The chief said Jackson’s grasp of those rules was not at the level expected of Lexington police officers. It was Jackson’s first formal complaint since he was hired in January 2023.
The lone fire department case involved Lt. Franklin Ashford, who accepted a written reprimand after an internal allegation filed Jan. 8 found he violated the department’s tardiness and attendance policy by failing to report on time to a scheduled assignment. Fire Chief Wells told the council it was Ashford’s first documented offense since he was hired in September 2018.
All three disciplines were approved unanimously and without opposition.
Weathers also used the discussion to thank the council for approving a grant-funded second behavioral health specialist for the police department, calling the resource deeply appreciated by the force.
