(LFUCG)–Mayor Jim Gray announced today Lawrence Weathers, a former assistant Chief of the Lexington Police Department, will be Lexington’s next police chief.

Weathers, 54, is currently Director of Law Enforcement for Fayette County Public Schools. He retired from the Lexington Police Department in 2016, after 27 years of service to the City.

During his career, Weathers held a variety of assignments within the Police Department, working his way up the ladder and giving him a broad range of experience.

A Lexington native, Weathers was raised on the east end and north end. He’s from a large family – he has nine brothers and sisters, many of whom work in the criminal justice community.

Weathers will officially start as Chief on March 5. He holds a master’s degree in criminal justice from Eastern Kentucky University. He and his wife, Melinda, live in Lexington and have three children, Jordan, Benjamin and Emery.

Weathers succeeds Interim Chief Ron Compton, who took over after Mark Barnard retired in January.