Lexington police have a new interim chief after the first appointed leader resigned less than a month into the job.
The city’s Board of Aldermen appointed Kenneth Gee as interim chief Thursday following a special meeting.
Alderman Isaac Lindsey shared news on Facebook last week about Gee’s appointment and the resignation of former interim chief, Robert Kirklin. Some commenters on the post raised concerns about Gee’s hiring and a track record with other police departments and jobs.
The board plans to meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday so community members can share their thoughts with city officials.
Prior to his appointment, Gee had served as an officer with the Lexington police. He was also a Republican candidate for the mayor of Jackson, where he is from. Police certification records show he also worked in Holmes County as an officer with the Durant and Tchula police departments and as acting chief in West. Gee also lists experience as a reserve officer with the Yazoo County Sheriff’s Department on his LinkedIn page.
The city expects to continue the search for a permanent police chief over the next 60 days.
Mayor Percy Washington was not immediately available for comment. He said Kirklin chose to leave the position due to conflicts with his retirement benefits, WLBT reported.
The Board of Aldermen had appointed Kirklin during a Jan. 10 special meeting following the dismissal of former chief Charles Henderson, whose police certification was suspended and is under review. That suspension prevents him from holding any law enforcement position.
Henderson’s alleged violation of law enforcement ethics happened in November 2024 while he worked for the Jackson Police Department. Details about the incident are not immediately known.
His departure also coincided with the board’s vote to adopt police reforms recommended by the U.S. Department of Justice.
Years earlier, allegations surfaced of Lexington police’s discriminatory policing practices, excessive force and retaliation against critics, and some resulted in lawsuits. Henderson became chief in 2022 after the former chief, Sam Dobbins, was fired after a leaked recording captured him using racial and homophobic slurs when describing how he used force while on the job.
The Justice Department opened a pattern and practice investigation into the department in 2023 and released its investigation report less than a year later, finding constitutional violations and a practice of jailing people for unpaid fines without determining whether they could afford to pay them.
Leo Bevilacqua contributed reporting
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