FORMER OLDHAM POLICE OFFICER PLEADS GUILTY TO POSSESSION OF
POT

A former Oldham County police officer who handled the county's only
drug-sniffing police dog has pleaded guilty to possession of
marijuana and has been sentenced to 90 days in jail.

But Gerald W. Colston will avoid jail time if he meets a number of
conditions in the next year, including 100 hours of community
service, according to the court order issued last Wednesday by Oldham
District Judge Diana Wheeler.

Colston, 38, was arraigned Sept. 4 after being charged with growing
four marijuana plants outside his home on Rose Island Road. The
charge is a misdemeanor. He resigned Aug. 31 from the police
department, where he had worked for eight years.

Before Colston pleaded guilty last week, the charge was reduced to
possession of less than 8 ounces of marijuana.

Travis Combs, the attorney representing Colston, said he and the
prosecuting attorney worked together on the outcome. "I think it's
fair and reasonable," he said. "It took some give and take on both
sides."

Combs said he thinks his client wants to discipline and train dogs at
the county's animal-control department as part of his community service.

County Attorney John Fendley also said the penalty was
appropriate.

"I think it was sufficient," he said.

Police Chief Mike Griffin said his department is in the process of
hiring two officers, and then he will decide whom to put in charge of
the drug-sniffing dog.

He said he's looking at altering the drug-testing policy so that the
K-9 officer will be tested four times a year. Officers in the
department are currently tested randomly, he said.