The first female officer ever hired by the Erlanger Police Department is now the first female Lieutenant in the department’s history.
Lt. Kim Klare, an Erlanger native who was the city’s first woman patrol officer when she was hired in 2001, has been promoted from Sergeant to Lieutenant, said Erlanger Police Chief Kyle Rader.
Lt. Kim Klare
“Kim Klare has been a hardworking, dedicated officer to the city of Erlanger for almost 20 years,” Chief Rader said. “As a graduate of the Southern Police Institute coupled with her experience and attention to detail made for a perfect transition to the Administrative Lieutenant position.”
In addition to serving as a patrol officer, Lt. Klare spent 13 years as a hostage negotiator with the department’s SWAT team and also served as a detective, the department coordinator for the Crisis Intervention Team (CIT), and a field training officer.
“I am truly thankful for this opportunity and all of the opportunities that Erlanger Police Department and the City of Erlanger have provided me,” Lt. Klare said. “The City of Erlanger and the Police Department is my second family. I grew up in Erlanger, I lived in the city and I know what a wonderful community this is to serve.”
Lt. Klare graduated from Erlanger’s Lloyd High School in 1997 and studied Criminal Justice at Northern Kentucky University. While at NKU, she completed an internship with the Erlanger Police Department that included 190 hours of experience and ride time with officers.
It was during her internship that Lt. Klare decided she wanted to pursue a career in law enforcement.
“When I was young, I wanted to take bad guys off of the street, and after I completed my internship, it just clicked,” she said.
“As I grew in law enforcement, I saw an opportunity to make a difference by listening, reassuring people in crisis, and helping those who were struggling. Law enforcement has been rewarding. I have made lifelong friendships. I knew policing for me had to be in the City of Erlanger.”
In addition to be being awarded the Cynthia Jean and George Nichols III National Scholarship to attend the Southern Police Institute Administrative Officer’s Course Class 138 in 2017, Lt. Klare is currently the 2nd Vice President on the National Executive Board for the Southern Police Institute Alumni Association.
In 2023, Lt. Klare will serve as the President of the National Executive Board and will host the Southern Police Institute
National Conference in Northern Kentucky.
Prior to joining Erlanger, Lt. Klare worked for the United States Customs Service at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport. She has three children and has been married to her husband, Doug, for 13 years.
City of Erlanger
