Police Chief Slain By Handcuffed Prisoner

A routine arrest turned deadly Wednesday for a small-town police chief, who was shot and killed in the back of his cruiser as he prepared to take a suspect to jail, state police said.

Randy Lacy, who had worked 22 years as an officer — the last three as chief of this eastern Kentucky town, was pronounced dead at 11:35 a.m. at the scene by Powell County Coroner Carl Wells.

Charges were pending against the suspect, Jamie Barnett, 37, for Lacy's death, said Lt. Phil Crumpton of the Kentucky State Police. Lacy was arresting Barnett for driving under the influence when the shooting took place, Crumpton said.

"It's a terrible tragedy. I can't tell the family how sorry I am for their loss," Clay City Mayor Jimmy Caudill said.

Crumpton said when Lacy arrested Barnett, he handcuffed Barnett's hands in front of his body instead of behind his back.

In most circumstances, officers cuff in the back to restrict mobility, but Greg Adams, a Powell County sheriff's deputy, said Lacy often cuffed people he knew in the front. Barnett had a long criminal history according to court records.

"Randy was a good officer." Adams said. "He did trust people a little too much."

Adams, who was one of several officers responding to the scene of the shooting, also said Lacy kept an extra gun in his cruiser between the front seat and the console. Crumpton would not confirm whether there was an extra gun in the car.

Lacy was the only officer for the small city, which was looking to fill two vacancies.

Powell County Judge-Executive Darren Farmer said the suspect shot Lacy from the back seat of the chief's cruiser, but authorities at a news conference did not confirm that.

Lacy, 55, had served as police chief of Clay City since 2004, but began serving in law enforcement in 1985.

Garland Lacy, the police chief's brother, said he learned about the shooting while listening to a police scanner. He said his brother was dead by the time he reached the scene.

"He was respected by all the police officers, and he was even loved by the people he was putting in jail," said Garland Lacy, a court bailiff and chaplain for the sheriff's department.

He said he recently bought a fishing boat with his brother, and had discussed with him that he should consider retiring from full-time police work so he could have more leisure time.

Garland Lacy said he has conducted several baptism ceremonies for prisoners at the jail, and that his brother played guitar during those ceremonies. Adams said Lacy was so friendly to suspects, that he would sometimes stop and buy them snacks or cigarettes before taking them to jail.

Barnett has a long criminal history, according to records from the Powell County Circuit Court Clerk's office.

He was charged with assaulting a police officer in 1994, according to court records. In April, he was charged with driving under the influence, leaving the scene of an accident and disorderly conduct, court records said. The April 9 drunken driving arrest was his second DUI offense, according to the records.

Brenda Patrick, whose 89-year-old mother lived next door to Lacy for six or seven years, said he was "wonderful neighbor" who looked out for her mother when he was home. Lacy had other family members involved in law enforcement, including a son and a brother, Patrick said.

People throughout town were upset by Lacy's death, said Patrick, who had known the chief for more than 30 years.

"Everybody's shocked by it. The town sort of went wild today, I think," she said in a telephone interview. "It's like a blanket of sorrow spread over the neighborhood."

The Clay City Community Center, home of the mayor's office, was closed following the shooting. Flowers were placed on the door of the community center and at the police station across the street.

It was at least the second fatal shooting involving law enforcement officers in Powell County, a rural county in the foothills of Appalachia.

Sheriff Steve Bennett and deputy Arthur Briscoe were killed while trying to arrest Ralph Baze in 1992. Baze was convicted of the killings and is currently on Kentucky's death row.

Gov. Ernie Fletcher directed that flags at all state office buildings remain at half-staff in honor of Lacy until sunset on the day of his funeral.

Clay City, a town of about 1,300 residents, is 40 miles east of Lexington.