Mayor to weigh evidence regarding employment of suspended police officer
By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette / WBRT Radio
Thursday, Oct. 15, 2015, 4:30 p.m. — Bardstown Mayor John Royalty was the presiding officer Thursday at an administrative hearing regarding the continued employment of suspended Bardstown Police Officer Nick Houck.
NICHOLAS B. HOUCK
Houck has been a city police officer since 2006.
The closed hearing began at 9 p.m. and lasted until about 2 p.m. Royalty said he heard evidence and testimony from both sides. He said a decision may come as early as tomorrow.
Houck was suspended from his job with pay on Sept. 10. The suspension was upgraded to one without pay on Sept. 24. No reason has been released by by Police Chief Rick McCubbin or the mayor as to the reason behind Houck’s suspension.
Houck’s brother, Brooks Houck, is the longtime boyfriend of Crystal Rogers, the mother of five who has been missing since July 3. She was last seen at the Houck family’s farm on Pascal Ballard Lane off KY 49.
Rogers’ car was located July 5 on the Bluegrass Parkway with a flat tire. Rogers’ purse, phone, keys and diaper bag were still in the car. Her family members have raised concerns that Brooks Houck has failed to help the family in their searches for Crystal.
Police have not said if Nick Houck’s suspension has any connection with the investigation into Rogers’ disappearance.
The Gazette obtained Houck’s police department personnel file through an open records request. While Houck received several warnings in his tenure as officer, there was nothing to shed light on the reason for the suspension. The most recent document in the file was the notice of his suspension dated Sept. 10.
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