Vicco, Ky. Police Chief to Receive Salary in Bitcoin

While Bitcoin sometimes gets a bad rap with law enforcement officials, the police chief of Vicco, Ky. will begin getting his salary in the digital currency.

In addition, the city plans to start accepting Bitcoin donations on its upcoming website to help the municipality afford more projects to improve local infrastructure, Vicco Mayor Johnny Cummings told local weekly newspaper the Hazard Herald.

The city commission of the town (population: 335) approved the measure on Monday to allow police chief Tony Vaughn to receive his salary in Bitcoin after Vaughn’s request last month. Vaughn’s state and federal taxes will be taken out before his salary is converted into the digital currency, according to the newspaper.

The price of Bitcoins has recently surged to more than $1,000, and the virtual currency has been in the spotlight following the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, Department of Justice and the U.S. Secret Service spoke to the U.S. Senate about the benefits of Bitcoin during a Nov. 18 hearing.

During his request last month, Vaughn said the city could make history with its approval since there isn’t record of another government entity using Bitcoin yet, according to the paper. The town recently gained notoriety for being the smallest U.S. municipality to enact an ordinance banning sexual orientation- and gender identification-based discrimination.