By Jeremy Chisenhall
Lexington Herald-Leader
FRANKFORT, Ky. — Kentucky State Police Commissioner Rodney Brewer is resigning from his position effective this week, according to multiple reports.
State police representatives haven’t said why Brewer is resigning. The resignation comes less than a week after controversy erupted over training materials.
Brewer was appointed to his position by Gov. Andy Beshear in January. He had also served as state police commissioner under former Gov. Steve Beshear.
The state police training materials used several years ago included quotes from Adolf Hitler and Robert E. Lee, among other historical figures. That story was originally reported by the Manual RedEye, the student newspaper at duPont Manual High School in Louisville.
The training materials included a slideshow titled “The Warrior Mindset.” It featured a quote from Hitler’s Mein Kampf: “The very first essential for success is a perpetually constant and regular employment of violence.”
“It is always more difficult to fight against faith than against knowledge,” states another quote attributed to Hitler in the PowerPoint presentation that the student newspaper posted online. The presentation also advised trainees to become a “ruthless killer.”
The training materials got national attention and quickly drew criticism from Kentucky elected officials and others.
Beshear said the state was looking into the issue and all state police materials were being reviewed. He called the materials “unacceptable” and said the state would take corrective action.
“It’s not just enough to know that this was a presentation — we think — was only given once, we’ve got to look at all the others and make sure that hopefully it’s an isolated incident,” Beshear said in a press conference Monday. “Even so, we’ve got to make sure the training is where it should be for the world we live in.”
The Kentucky Commission on Human Rights said Monday that Kentucky State Police needed to publicly denounce the training materials and identify and correct the “impetus for their inclusion.” The commission also asked state police to focus on racial and ethnic equality and fairness.
“In a time where the actions of police officers are being openly questioned, the existence of these types of values being instilled in our state police force definitely shocks the conscience, and further raises concerns around the culture and purpose of the police force,” the commission said in a statement.
The commission statement came from Gov. Andy Beshear, Executive Director Terrance A. Sullivan and Commission Chair Alma L. Randolph.
State police Sgt. Josh Lawson said in a statement to the Manual RedEye that the quotes were “used for their content and relevance to the topic addressed in the presentation.”
“The presentation touches on several aspects of service, selflessness, and moral guidance,” he said in the statement. “All of these topics go to the fundamentals of law enforcement, such as treating everyone equally, service to the public, and being guided by the law.”
A spokeswoman for the Kentucky Justice and Public Safety Cabinet, which includes the state police, later struck a different tone.
“It is unacceptable that this material was ever included in the training of law enforcement,” cabinet spokeswoman Morgan Hall said in a statement. “Our administration does not condone the use of this material.”
Hall said the training materials were removed in 2013 and aren’t currently used.
Lieutenant Colonel Phillip Burnett is set to be the interim commissioner, according to multiple reports.
(c)2020 the Lexington Herald-Leader (Lexington, Ky.)