Northern Kentucky Emergency Response Unit

 

In the summer of 1988, two (2) Crescent Springs banks were robbed within weeks of each other. In the first robbery, two (2) suspects held up the First National Bank. The robbers were armed with shotguns and wore body armor. A lone gunman in the second robbery fired a shot before exiting the bank. Police Chief Greg Popham, concerned about the minimum four-hour response time estimated by Kentucky State Police SWAT, developed a containment team to respond to situations beyond the capabilities of normal patrol officers. The Emergency Response Unit was composed of officers from the Dixie Authority Police Department (Crescent Springs) and the Kenton County Sheriff’s Office. In 1994, Fort Mitchell Police Department added three officers to the team. Taylor Mill, Fort Wright and Ludlow followed. In 1999 Independence Police Chief Shawn Butler proposed combining their six-man team with the existing ERU and NKERU was formed. Edgewood police joined in 2002. In 2003 Erlanger Police Department added four members to the team. Current Erlanger members include Operators Mike Leming, Greg Aylor, Jason Whaley, Jon Sterling and TJ Selby as well as negotiators Shawn Sims and Kim Klare. Lt. Tony Wilson is an administrative advisor and works with the Police Chiefs from the other agencies on the team.