Police union sues Lexington, department, alleging violation of officer’s rights
The union that represents Lexington police is suing the city and its police department, claiming an officer’s due process rights were violated when the officer was suspended following a resident’s complaint.
The Fraternal Order of Police Bluegrass Lodge No. 4, which represents Lexington police officers, filed suit Tuesday in Fayette Circuit Court on behalf of the unnamed officer.
According to the lawsuit, the police department imposed one of its harshest employment restrictions — a level-three administrative assignment — without proper investigation techniques into an allegation made by a Lexington resident.
When a sworn officer is placed on administrative assignment level three, they are immediately stripped of their policing authority, prohibited from carrying a police-issued firearm off duty, not allowed to use their uniform or department vehicle and required to turn over their credentials.
By putting the officer on administrative assignment, the city and department circumvented legal protections for cops facing misconduct accusations by labeling the cases “inquiries” instead of formal complaints or investigations, the lawsuit alleges.
It is unclear what the public complaint alleged or when it was made.
The lawsuit argues the department and city violated Kentucky’s Law Enforcement Officers’ Bill of Rights when they did not write a sworn written complaint, provide written notice of the reasons for the restrictions or provide a 48-hour notice before the compelled interrogation.
“The cumulative effect of the defendants’ actions is to deprive the affected officer of his rights under KRS 15.520, his contractual rights under the collective bargaining agreement, his property and liberty interests in his employment and law-enforcement authority, and to subject him to interrogation, sanctions and potential discipline by using a flawed, unlawful process,” the lawsuit argues.
The FOP Lodge is requesting a judge order the police department stop interrogations of officers until they observe the proper legal protections.
When the department’s internal investigators requested to speak with the officer, he was notified by a text on his cell phone and given no information about why he was being called in, according to the lawsuit. The officer was not told if he was the subject or witness of the interview, or given the 48-hour advanced notice as the law and the police collective bargaining agreement require.
However, when attorneys from the police lodge spoke to department officials, Lexington police internal investigators said they were interviewing the officer about the “same topics the FBI discussed with him.”
The level-three administrative measure is one of the most severe classifications of employment restrictions outside formal suspension or termination, according to the suit. Its restrictions are nearly identical to level-four, which is when officers are charged with misconduct or a felony.
This is a second recent lawsuit filed by the local police lodge against the city. In September, the Kentucky Supreme Court sided with the FOP lodge about the legality of no-knock warrants.
Susan Straub, spokesperson for the mayor’s office, said the city does not comment on open lawsuits.
The FOP did not immediately respond to a request for additional comment.
This story was originally published November 6, 2025 at 10:05 AM.
