Colonel Jones is a lifelong resident of Kenton County and was a member of the Covington Police Department for nearly twenty-seven years. He attended Eastern Kentucky University with an Associate’s degree in Police Science and a Bachelor of Science in Police Administration. Spike has also done post-graduate work at Eastern Kentucky University and the University of Virginia. Spike attained a Master’s Degree in Executive Leadership and Organizational Change from Northern Kentucky University’s Haile College of Business in 2010.
Before coming to work for the Covington Police Department, Spike worked for Eastern Kentucky University’s Department of Public Safety, the Kentucky Administrative Office of the Courts, and worked with the United States Postal Inspection Service. Spike served two terms as president of the Kentucky State Fraternal Order of Police, representing over 9,800 sworn law enforcement officers across the Commonwealth of Kentucky. He is a graduate and class president of Kentucky’s first Criminal Justice Executive Development Course and a graduate of the prestigious FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia.
Spike was the first member of the Covington Police Department to achieve certification through Kentucky’s Department of Training as a “Law Enforcement Executive and Chief Executive.” He has been a Field Training Officer, a Vice/ Street Crimes Officer, a Narcotics Specialist with the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force, a Community Policing Specialist, a Patrol Sergeant, the Night Operations Commander , Administrative Lieutenant, and Assistant Chief.
In June of 2012, Spike was named Chief of Police for the City of Covington and served until his retirement in 2015. On August the 28th, 2015, Spike came out of retirement and was sworn in as the 13th Chief of Police for the Kenton County Police Department.
He was elected Chairman of the Kentucky Law Enforcement Council in November of 2018 and also serves on the Professional Standards Committee.