police retiring early

current conditions are the reason

C1 3 and i'm veronica jean seltzer.

Police departments across kentucky say a record number of their officers are retiring.

The fraternal order of police blames it on the national climate...which the lexington f-o-p president describes as "attacking and demonizing the police".

Abc 36's christy bollinger reports...the f-o-p is concerned it'll make recruiting and retention harder...putting public safety at risk.

That's tonight's top story at five.

Nationwide...police departments say they're losing people...fast.

Faster now than in recent memory.

In kentucky...the f- o-p says it's most noticeable in the state's two biggest cities.

Berl perdue/ky fop pres: "louisville's numbers are exponentially higher.

I know they've had right at 20 in the last month retire or leave."

Six lexington officers retired in june...according to lexington f-o-p president lt.

Jonathan bastian.

He says four more are leaving at the end of summer.

Lt.

Jonathan bastian/bluegrass lodge 4 fop pres: "i've had a number of them say that given the current environment it's just the time, it's the time now to do it.

One of them even said he knew it was time because his kids were now asking him to not go to work."

Bastian and kentucky f-o-p president clark county sheriff berl perdue say they understand the reasons for protests against police brutality... perdue: "are there things we could do better?

Absolutely and we're going to do better."

...but they say something's getting lost...that deaths and police abuse happening elsewhere in the country are hurting good officers..

And their families here... who don't deserve the blame.

Perdue: "they just feel like they've been abandoned."

F-o-p leaders worry about being able to keep their cities safe not only because they say they're losing experienced officers...but also because they worry it'll be harder to attract new ones.

"applications for police departments, sheriff departments for the last five years are down anywhere between 25 to 40 percent."

Lt.

Bastian says he's talking to officers with just a few years experience now questioning their career choice.

He and perdue don't necessarily have a fix...they're just hoping something changes...and soon.

Christy bollinger, abc 36 news.

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