A former Louisville Police chief is expected to lead Oldham's Police Department starting in January.
Magistrate David Voegele, who starts as the county's judge-executive next year, said he has selected Greg Smith to replace former Police Chief Mike Griffin, who retired in August.
Voegele said he will ask Fiscal Court to approve the appointment in January. He said he plans to add some more responsibilities to the job, which he wants to rename "director of public safety."
Smith was a member of Louisville Police from 1974 to the end of 2002, when he joined the staff of U.S. Sen. Jim Bunning, who retires at the end of the year.
Smith, 59, who lives in Louisville's Hikes Point area, said he wanted to return to police work.
"I always had an interest in getting back into police work," he said. "You don't ever really get it out of your system I don't think, even when you retire."
Voegele said he also plans to appoint Buckner resident Jim Urban as director of the Planning and Development department, a position Urban held from 1998 to 2003. Former director Louise Allen retired in August.
That appointment also will go before Fiscal Court for a vote, Voegele said.
Urban, 57, said he is "thrilled to be back."