Lexington Police Chief Ronnie Bastin is set to take over as the city’s Public Safety Commissioner.
Mayor Jim Gray nominated Bastin for the position Monday.
Pending approval by the Urban County Council, Bastin’s new title will move him from the top spot at police headquarters to the head of the city’s Public Safety Department.
Bastin joined the force in 1984, worked his way through the ranks, and eventually succeeded former Police Chief and mayoral candidate Anthany Beatty in 2008. Now he’ll be leaving a vacancy of his own, as the city launches a search for a new chief.
He’ll be replacing Clay Mason, a 25-year FBI veteran who supervised the Lexington FBI office and Lexington Joint Terrorism Task Force, who is leaving to pursue work with a private consulting company.
The Urban County Council has scheduled a confirmation hearing for Bastin this Thursday.