Thomason said that while all six of the applicants were good and "had so many great ideas to improve the force," Henderson's previous experience with the Drug Task Force (DTF) and ideas to improve Leitchfield's own DTF placed him ahead of the rest.
Thomason said, "We have a lot of problems with drugs here, especially meth."
The number of meth labs has been at an all-time high over the past couple of years, Henderson said.
"The 2012-2013 fiscal year results have not been released yet," Henderson said. "But for the 2011-2012 fiscal year, the numbers were higher than they'd ever been."
A lifelong resident of Leitchfield, Henderson majored in Police Administration at Western Kentucky University and then transferred to Eastern Kentucky University where he also studied Police Administration. He then went through the Academy for the Department of Criminal Justice Training in 1992 and later the Kentucky State Police Academy in 2005.
Henderson said he has previously worked for the Grayson County and Edmonson County Emergency Medical Services, the Edmonson County Sheriff's Office, the Grayson County Sheriff's Office, the Leitchfield Police Department, and the Kentucky State Police (KSP).
Henderson said he was promoted to detective for the KSP in early 2009, at which time he started doing undercover narcotics work and cleaning up meth labs.
Henderson said he was still working in narcotics for the KSP when he learned that the Leitchfield Police Chief position had opened up.
Henderson said the City Council members who interviewed him asked what he thought could be done to improve the community, to which Henderson replied that a greater effort needed to be put forth to stop the drug problem in the city, especially concerning misuse of prescription drugs and the production of methamphetamines.
Henderson said to help remedy the drug problem, he wants to have an officer represent the LPD in the Greater Hardin County Narcotics Taskforce (GHCNT), which is an organization where officers from various city and county police departments work undercover in drug cases. Henderson said the LPD is currently a member of the GHCNT, but has not been as active.
Of his election to Leitchfield Police Chief, Henderson said, "It's sort of surreal. I'm honored, and I'm humbled that the Council and the Mayor would give me the opportunity to do this."
"Over half my life has been spent serving Leitchfield and Grayson County in law enforcement from the day I turned 21, which was when I started as a police officer, to today," Henderson, now 43-years-old, said. "I'm honored I've been given the opportunity to continue doing it."
Henderson will have his first day as Leitchfield Police Chief on April 1.
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