When Guy Howie takes the reins of the Glasgow Police Department, it will be a homecoming of sorts.
On Friday, Mayor Dick Doty picked Howie out of three finalists to lead the department.
Howie spent nearly seven years as chief of the Hopkinsville Police Department before returning a year ago to the Ocala Police Department in Florida where he served 26 years in various roles.
Howie told WKU Public Radio he plans to bring community policing to Glasgow.
"It doesn't mean you're soft on crime, but it means you're looking at crime from the community's point of view and what they see as issues," said Howie. "I also believe in a data-driven approach toward looking at crime and allocating resources to what the data provides us."
Howie acknowledged he looks forward to leading smaller department, but said size is irrelevant.
“I’m sure there’s more crime in Ocala because we have a lot more people," added Howie. "I’ve looked at the Glasgow crime statistics. They have burglaries, thefts, drugs, and just recently, a shooting. I’m sure per capita, it’s probably about the same, but I think Glasgow is a safer community."
Howie is a 35-year law enforcement veteran. He’s expected to start his new duties around October 1. His hiring still needs approval from the Glasgow City Council.
