Beshear hires a former Lexington police chief and a former state police commissioner
Former Lexington Police Chief Ronnie Bastin will join the administration of Gov. Andy Beshear as the deputy secretary of the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet, Beshear announced Friday.
Bastin worked for the Lexington Police Department for 30 years, eventually rising to the rank of chief of police from 2008 to 2015. After he retired he served as commissioner of public safety in Lexington and then ran a failed bid for mayor in 2018. He will serve under former Supreme Court Justice Mary Noble.
“I am very excited about the opportunity to be a part of Team Kentucky,” Bastin said in a news release. “I want to thank Gov. Beshear, Lt. Gov. Coleman and Secretary Noble for placing their confidence in me to take on this important role.”
Bastin was among seven appointments Beshear announced Friday, including deputy secretaries for the Education and Workforce Development Cabinet, the Transportation Cabinet and the Personnel Cabinet.
Beshear also named Rodney Brewer as Kentucky State Police Commissioner. Brewer was commissioner under former Gov. Steve Beshear before retiring in 2016.
“With the changes that we are currently seeing in general threats to our population and the rise of domestic terrorism, I believe that Rodney Brewer ensures that we are in good hands and that the state police has the leadership it needs,” Beshear said.
Brewer said he was humbled to be back as commissioner.
“We have not only now filled our entire cabinet, we have filled most deputy secretaries and very significant commissioner positions like Medicaid,” Beshear said. “We are still committed to making sure we have the right mix of experience so that we don’t lose a step.”
The other Beshear appointments were:
▪ Mary Pat Regan: Deputy Secretary of Education and Workforce Development
▪ Mike Hancock: Deputy Secretary of Transportation
▪ Lindy Casebier: Deputy Personnel Cabinet Secretary
▪ Lisa Lee: Commissioner for the Department of Medicaid Services
▪ Jeff Taylor: Commissioner for Business Development
▪ Allyson Taylor: Commissioner for the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control
