Worthington Police names first female chief
The Worthington Police force has shattered a glass ceiling after naming the first female chief of police.
Megan Ritchie, 29, of Flatwoods, may be new to having chief in her title, but she isn’t new to the Worthington Police force, as she has worked as an officer for about five years before taking the helm of the department. She assumed the role on June 10.
Worthington Mayor Jason Flocker believes Ritchie will be an asset in bringing the department up to date in terms of technology, he said.
“She comes to the plate” with multiple skills and experience that was too appealing to turn down, Flocker added.
“We were lacking. We spent the money and bought the equipment — all brand new computers, printers and the cruisers and it never took off; only about a year old,” he said, with hopes of Ritchie turning that around.
“Any business needs somebody to lead and we picked her because she is a good leader. Our police force is moving into the 21st Century and everything’s computers. She is really good at that,” Flocker said.
Ritchie, who has a college degree in accounting from Ashland Community Technical College, said she was shocked when she learned she was taking the role of chief.
“Just because I’m a female,” she said.
“In addition to policing, I run a business, and being chief is more than just policing; you have to deal with financing and keep everything organized and in order,” she said.
Ritchie, who is from a family who worked in coal, said she was 20 years old when she began working for Kentucky State Police as a dispatcher and, after a few years, she was hired by Worthington to become an officer on the force in 2018.
She was at Flatwoods for four years before returning to Worthington as an officer in 2023.
Flocker has full confidence in Ritchie’s ability to lead and run an effective police force.
“I am or we wouldn’t have put her in the position,” Flocker said. “It was a unanimous decision with myself and the council to hire her.
“She was a perfect pick for our little town. … I looked at the resumes and I didn’t look at it as her being a woman or a man,” Flocker said.
