Lt. Col. Justin Wietholter has been appointed as Covington Police Chief Brian Valenti’s successor, who is retiring after almost thirty years of service.
Valenti joined the Covington Police Department in September 1996 and has been Chief since 2022. He worked third shift in the Traffic Unit as a DUI Enforcement Officer or as a detective in the D-Team for the majority of his career as an officer before moving up the ranks. He has since worked in the Administration, Criminal Investigations, Narcotics/Vice (D-Team), and Patrol bureaus, leaving a history of commitment and hard work. Valenti also served on the department’s Honor Guard for almost 20 years, most of that time as Officer in Charge.
According to Valenti, Covington is more than just my place of employment. It has evolved into a home and an irreplaceable second family. I am appreciative that I was able to work with some of the best people I will ever meet and serve this wonderful city.
Valenti said he had complete faith in Lt. Col. Justin Wietholter to be the city’s next chief of police as he gets ready to leave the position.
According to Valenti, Lt. Col. Wietholter is the most sensible candidate to be the city’s next police chief. He has been developing his abilities under my guidance for the past few years, and I believe he is ready to meet the obstacles that a Chief will undoubtedly face.
Lt. Col. Wietholter began his career with the agency in 2005 as a Police Cadet. He has progressively advanced through the ranks and has been the department’s Assistant Chief of Operations since 2022. In this role, he is in charge of the SWAT Team, the Patrol, Criminal Investigations, and Strategic Services Bureaus. He has held top positions in almost every departmental division, from administration and training to patrol and drugs.
Wietholter is a graduate of the FBI National Academy and has obtained several certifications in law enforcement leadership from the Kentucky Law Enforcement Council.
Wietholter expressed his gratitude for the chance to continue serving the City of Covington in this new capacity. Having grown up here and worked for the Covington Police Department for over 20 years, I have seen firsthand the city’s incredible development and change. Leading a department dedicated to innovation, accountability, and advancement that reflects the police department and the city’s vibrant future excites me.
Valenti, for his part, is anticipating a slower tempo.
No firm plans are currently being developed. I’m confident that I’ll play a terrible rendition of what some people refer to as golf. “I doubt it, but maybe I’ll get better,” he remarked. I’m sure that will also be in the horizon because my wife and I enjoy traveling. I intend to be the greatest house husband I can be for the next few months because she also intends to retire at the end of the year.
Covington City
