I started the ExploringKentucky.com project back in 2021. The first video I uploaded for the project was filmed in Whitesburg, Letcher County, Kentucky. Since then, I have visited and filmed in the following locations in the Commonwealth:
- Whitesburg
- Madisonville
- Hartford
- Morganstown
- Winchester
- Paris
- Middletown
- Dry Ridge
- Franklin
- Georgetown
- Paducah
- Pineville
- Middlesboro
- Richmond
- Eddyville
- Cynthiana
- Princeton
- Brooksville
- Livingston
- Munfordville
- Glasgow
- Glencoe
- Williamstown (The Mayor Has Invited Me Back)
- Corinth
- Sadieville
- La Grange
- Vanceburg
- Stamping Ground
- Simpsonville
- Nicholasville
- Waddy
- Versailles (Woodford County)
- Beattyville
- Irvine
- McKee
- Frankfort | State Capitol
- Midway
- Jenkins
- Finchville
- Campbellsburg
- Pikeville
- Sligo
- Bedford
- Carrollton
- Leichfield
- Smithfield
- Brandenburg
- Shepherdsville
- Hodgenville
- Corbin
- Williamsburg
- Sparta
- Cloverport
- Owenton
- Hawesville
- New Liberty
- Sanders
- Vine Grove
- Wheatley
- Hardinsburg
- Lawrwenceburg
- Danville
- Ashland
- Jeffersontown
- Warsaw (Gallatin County) (Great Police Interaction; made a Tiktok together)
- Louisa
- Covington
- Salyersville
- New Castle
- Paintsville
- Maysville
- Mount Olivet
- Berea College
- Mount Vernon
- London
- Manchester
- Prestonburg
- Eminence
- Pleasureville
- Frankfort (City)
- Morehead
- Warfield
- Inez
- Beauty
- Grayson
- Shelbyville
- Campton
- Stanton
- Bagdad
- Hyden
- Clay City
- Hazard
- Pikeville
- Custer
- Whitley City
- Hindman
- Boston
- Bonnieville
- Cave City
- Bowling Green
- Russellville
- Auburn
- Stanford
- Lancaster
- Frenchburg
- Owingsville
- Taylorsville
- Sharpsburg
- Lebanon
- Flemingsburg
- Harlan
- Princeton
- Dixon
- Crofton
- Greenup
- Sonora
- Tompkinsville
- Upton
- Marrowbone
- Albany
- Monticello
- Greenville
- Columbia
This list above covers all the cities where I’ve filmed a full-length ExploringKentucky video using the Sony AX43. There’s several more cities included where I used my iPhone and/or GoPro. The reason for that is because some “cities” are all of a sign, maybe a mail drop-off, or possibly some kind of utility station. There’s no way to do a 8-10 minute video given those factors. Some cities, that have been included above had very little, but I still made a full format video (e.g. Beauty, Sanders, Marrowbone).
My initial “A Walk In Midway,” was published on January 1, 2023 (see above). The video has a thousand views and was shared on over a dozen Kentucky-based Facebook groups. This is what I wrote in the video’s description: “Join me for a Saturday morning walk in beautiful Midway, Kentucky. This lovely community in Woodford County has a number of great restaurants, beautiful shops, and tons of cool sights. If you live here, are from here, or know about the city, please leave a comment below.”
I often like to return to cities and towns I’ve covered after a year, two years, or when time permits. On Saturday, May 17th, I returned to the Kentucky State Capitol and planned on doing follow-up videos in Midway and Shelbyville on Sunday, May 18th. It had been two years since I did my first video in Midway.
Unfortunately, the trip was ruined by UNIT 42 of the VERSAILLES POLICE DEPARTMENT, who although initially was professional, would go onto to stalk me and follow me throughout Midway for over 30 minutes. I was polite to him and told him where I lived, what I did for work, and repeatedly gave him this website’s URL “EXPLORINGKENTUCKY.COM.” That said, I post all content with my name “CHRISTIAN DUQUE.” He didn’t even have to run my name through his system or CourtNet. Had UNIT 42 just GOOGLED ME or simply visited the EXPLORINGKENTUCKY.COM, he would have known who I was and what my purpose for being in Midway was. He did none of that. Only until the very end of my video did it sound like UNIT 42 said the name EXPLORINGKENTUCKY.COM into his radio.
I even offered UNIT 42 my (attorney) business card. I’m a licensed attorney in good standing with Kentucky Bar. I told him I work as a downtown Louisville attorney and that that is my full-time job. Despite telling him this, he would not stop following me around. Moreover, he tried to tell me that filming in public was against the law (that’s on video) and totally fabricated that I was harassing people (not a single instance of anything like that on my video).
The fact that UNIT 42 is a sworn peace officer and lied on my video in trying to criminalize a constitutionally-protected activity, lied on his dash/bodycam and may have lied on his report WHILE CARRYING OUT HIS DUTIES IN UNIFORM would have stripped his, the Versailles Police Department’s, and the City of Versailles’ qualified immunity had he tried to detain me, arrest me, or performed an unlawful traffic stop. The last person I saw before driving out of Midway, was UNIT 42 (he even waved at me menacingly).
Also, when he stalked me from blocks away (photo above), he was positioned immediately behind my car. He had ascertained I was from Louisville on initial contact and coincidentally positioned himself next to a car in close proximity to my position with a Jefferson County plate. UNIT 42 was not carrying out official police business after the initial minute-long interaction. What he did for next 30-45 minutes was textbook harassment, stalking, and intimidation while using his badge and VPD issued vehicle.
What’s ironic is that if this is how VERSAILLES POLICE OFFICERS treat public photographers/photography in Midway, a community listed on the National Registry of Historic Towns, what would happen to a law abiding citizen who didn’t know their rights?
After leaving Midway, driving towards Louisville, I pulled into a rest stop and called Versailles Police to file a complaint. Initially, the dispatcher seemed oblivious to who I was. A couple of minutes into my explanation, she seemed perfectly aware of what I was talking about. I stated I wanted to speak with a Sergeant or Officer (Lieutenant or higher). The dispatcher said one would call me shortly after.
About forty-five minutes later, still at the rest stop waiting for the call, a sergeant called back. He was incredibly professional, suggested that this was perhaps a training issue, stated he would view UNIT 42’s dashcam and offered me an apology on behalf of the City of Versailles Police Department. Not wanting to jam the officer up, that was good enough for me, and I decided against filing a formal compliant. I did, however, tell the sergeant that I would not edit my video and that regrettably UNIT 42’s actions would be seen by anyone who visited EXPLORINGKENTUCKY.COM and/or saw my two videos that day from the community. And just as I told the very nice sergeant, “it’s not a good look for the Versailles Police.”
A link to this article will be included on all of our social media platforms. A link will be sent along with a letter to the mayor and city council of the City of Midway, the mayor and city council of the City of Versailles, as well as to the administration of the City of Versailles Police Department, which “Serves all of Woodford County.”
The goal here is not to shame UNIT 42, rather, as the sergeant expressed over the phone, it’s more so to explore better ways of training these officers when it comes to public photography and dealing with the public.
UNIT 42’s 45 minutes of time stalking and harassing me could have been far better used serving the legitimate interests of the residents of Woodford County. They would also have been better spent than violating the constitutional rights of a free, law-abiding citizen enjoying a perfectly legal pastime, which also creates interest in local communities that thrive on out-of-town visitors and tourism.
In closing, I’d like to reflect on something UNIT 42 said upon our initial (and pleasant) first interaction. He asked me where I was from. I told him, Louisville. He responded, “why are you here?”
“Why are you here” coming from a law enforcement officer to a visitor in a community on the National Register of Historic Towns is one of the worst sentiments to be advanced. It sends a locals only, all others keep out vibe. And that’s the polar opposite of the reception I’ve received in the dozens of communities I’ve visited throughout Kentucky’s 120 counties.
Just some food for thought.
BONUS CLIPS
This is the one and only interaction that UNIT 42 saw me have with local residents. It was also the first time him and I spoke. Following this initial, pleasant interaction, UNIT 42 proceeded to stalk and harass me throughout the City of Midway for the next 30-45 minutes.
Not a single resident in Midway had an issue with me filming: not the nice man with his dog, not the nice congregants coming out of church, not the nice people dining outside restaurants, and none of the people on this clip. Nonetheless, you can see UNIT 42 of the VERSAILLES KENTUCKY POLICE DEPARTMENT follow a videographer on public property, you can see this officer make up laws, make up crimes, in a desperate attempt to run me out of town.
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