During Monday’s Trigg County Fiscal Court meeting, Trina Clinkenbeard made known a concern she had regarding the safety of her husband — Kentucky State Police trooper Nathan Clinkenbeard — and a specific incident with the Trigg County Sheriff’s Office, and particularly with Sheriff Aaron Acree.
According to Trina and on November 28, just three weeks ago, Trooper Clinkenbeard was dispatched to a call originally as backup to a scene for the TCSO.
Things apparently went different for her husband than expected.
Trina said she understood that the fiscal court “couldn’t do much” about the situation, but that she’d had “lots of conversations” with Magistrate Cameron Sumner about this particular incident.
She said she keeps getting told, at different intervals from different sources, that there’s “no accountability.”
Trina attests that Acree made an attempt to file a complaint against her husband in this aftermath.
Trina further noted she expected “fiscal responsibility” be shown by the Trigg County Sheriff’s Office. That the use of personal vehicles with county money, especially to buy “expensive gas,” wasn’t appropriate, and that body camera usage should be more heavily enforced.
She said her husband, Trooper Clinkenbeard, has a camera in his car, and that everyone in law enforcement should be using them if they’re 10-8.
Acree, who was present for the meeting, did not respond in the open floor. Neither did the body of the fiscal court.
In a written statement to the News Edge, Acree said it wasn’t the appropriate forum to handle the business of the sheriff’s office, but if given the chance to speak with the Clinkenbeard family directly, he would “apologize for the miscommunication or misinterpretation” relayed through dispatch that evening. He said he would “strongly encourage” the individual directly involved in this action to contact him, “and not send in a family member, as they are a third-party source with information.”
Acree wrote that “had Mr. Clinkenbeard made [him] aware he had a complaint,” he would’ve advised him that on this evening in question, he was “on another investigation in the county during the time this call went out,” and that he was in contact with another state trooper during this time who advised him that “four state troopers were available and working the squad” that covers Trigg County.
As a former state trooper, Acree further agreed that it is “very common” for local agencies to call for KSP assistance when the requesting agency is “busy handling other call and complaints in the county.”
And, lastly, Acree wrote that the “shots fired” complaint was ultimately a nuisance complaint from a “complaining neighbor.” Acree states he was in “direct contact” with this caller of the complaint, and that there was no threat to human life. However, Acree agreed that shots fired complaints “should never be underestimated during any circumstances.”
He said this was his main reasoning for calling the complaining neighbor directly.
Acree said, for future reference, that he “highly encourages” any citizen of Trigg County to contact him directly involving either him, or his agency.
He added that he “did not want to take up court members time,” as they are “not the governing body over the sheriff’s office.”
According to the National Sheriffs’ Association, the internal operation of an “Office of Sheriff” is the sole responsibility of the elected sheriff. County department heads are subordinate to a county governing body.
Also according to the National Sheriffs’ Association, the use of the term “department” implies being a subordinate unit of local government. The use of the term “office” implies inherent powers and independent sovereignty.
