GEORGETOWN, Ky. (LEX 18) — Sheriff Tony Hampton took a slow walk around the cruiser once driven by Deputy Caleb Conley. It’s really the only time he’s had to grieve the loss of the young man who was shot and killed on Monday during a traffic stop on I-75.
“I really haven’t. My concentration and focus has been on the men and women in this office and the family of Deputy Conley and how we’re going to get through this," the sheriff said on Friday morning.
This tight-knit community has been emotionally torn apart since word of Conley’s death began to spread on Monday night. His body was taken on a procession from Frankfort to Georgetown and then on to Cynthiana on Tuesday morning. Mourners held a candlelight vigil on Thursday night. Funeral services have been scheduled for next Thursday morning.
For Hampton, this is a first as he’s never before had to bury one of his deputies. He did have to lead his office through the shooting of Deputy Jaime Morales who was paralyzed after being hit by “friendly fire” in 2018.
“You learn how to deal with it because you have to deal with it. There’s no choice not to deal with it,” Sheriff Hampton said before thanking others in law enforcement who’ve reached out to offer assistance or guidance.
Sheriff Hampton thanked the Georgetown community for all of its support. The flowers and signs by Deputy Conley’s cruiser only begin to tell the story. He said there have been donations of food and many other gifts and cards for the office staff members.
But as is customary of a top-ranking law enforcement official, the sheriff alluded to the fact that his mind is already wondering how he can better protect his deputies and other officers.
“I’ve sat at home, when I could get home, and thought, ‘Is there anything I could pull from this that’s positive that we could learn from?’ That’s my plan,” he stated.
He then took that slow walk around the cruiser, and said he was hoping for a quiet weekend so he can finally begin the grieving process.
