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Photo: KY Justice and Public Safety Cabinet
Kentucky Justice Secretary John Tilley says a recent meeting with White House officials demonstrates the broad interest among national business and policy leaders to improve public safety through stronger reentry programs.
Secretary Tilley, who has helped spearhead efforts in Kentucky to improve reentry, was among a group of national and state corrections experts who met last week with members of President Trump’s Domestic Policy Council and the White House’s Intergovernmental Affairs team.
The group discussed a range of issues, including the importance of reentry and the value of Congress’s Second Chance Act, the need to get business leaders’ insight on putting formerly incarcerated people to work, and more closely examining crime nationally and locally to understand the latest trends.
This meeting came on the heels of President Trump’s creation of the White House Office of American Innovation, which will use business models to help inform improvements in the operation of government.
Secretary Tilley noted the insight that can be gained from the business community when tackling the challenges formerly incarcerated people face during reentry.
“Ask any person in prison to name the most important thing they need to succeed in the community upon their release. The response will almost always be the same: ‘I need a job,’” Secretary Tilley said. “I’ve been working in criminal justice for 25 years and I’ve never seen the business community this engaged in these issues. With those leaders at the table, we can better understand the opportunities and challenges associated with hiring a person with a criminal record.”
The group included Kevin Kempf, former director of Idaho’s Department of Corrections and now director of the Association of State Correctional Administrators; Jefferson Dunn, commissioner of the Alabama Department of Corrections; John Wetzel, secretary of Pennsylvania’s Department of Corrections; Rollin Cook, Utah Department of Corrections executive director, and Michael Thompson, director of The Council of State Governments Justice Center.
“The Trump administration has made their commitment to public safety clear, and we met to discuss how the good work of corrections officials to reduce recidivism and improve public safety can be a key part of that equation.” said Kempf. “Corrections administrators collectively oversee more than 400,000 staff members and supervise more than 8 million people. The impact we can make is enormous, and following a very productive meeting with the White House, we’re excited about the next steps.”
In Kentucky, Secretary Tilley is chairman of a state panel – the Criminal Justice Policy Assessment Council – which has studied data-driven evidence and recommended reforms for a smarter and stronger system of justice. Appointed by Gov. Matt Bevin, the council’s work has resulted in Senate Bill 120, a measure to reduce recidivism and improve public safety with more effective reentry.
“Almost everyone with a criminal record will eventually return to society. Our communities are safest when we provide these individuals a clear path toward employment and demand that they take personal responsibility for holding a job and turning away from crime,” Secretary Tilley said. “The council’s work has been critical in meeting these goals, and I want to thank Gov. Bevin for his leadership in these efforts.”
This week’s meeting also came shortly after the U.S. Department of Justice announced the formation of Crime Reduction and Public Safety Task Force, which will be charged with developing strategies to reduce crime and improve public safety. All the corrections leaders agreed that thoughtful approaches to reducing recidivism will be an important part to ensuring those the efforts of the task force prove successful.
On Monday, Gov. Matt Bevin restored the right to vote and hold public office to certain offenders who have completed their respective sentences and have applied for restoration of their civil rights.
The orders exclude individuals convicted of violent or sex crimes, bribery or treason.
“We have always been a nation of second chances,” said Gov. Bevin. “The criminal justice system should not exist solely to punish offenders, but also to rehabilitate and assimilate them back into society. Through this executive action, we are empowering men and women with the opportunity to become contributing members of our communities. Restoring the voting rights of certain low-level offenders is a significant step towards achieving this goal. There will be many more such opportunities granted in the months and years ahead.”
While the orders restore the right to vote and hold public office, they do not restore any other civil right, including but not limited to the right to receive, possess or transport in commerce a firearm or serve on a jury.
The Bevin Administration has initiated groundbreaking criminal justice reform efforts aimed at removing barriers for offenders to successfully reenter society.
In 2016, Gov. Bevin signed into law historic felony expungement legislation that gives non-violent felony offenders who have paid their debt to society a second chance. House Bill 40 allows Kentuckians convicted of certain Class D felonies—who have paid their debt to society, have stayed out of trouble as required by the law, and have shown that they are indeed trying to get back on track—to erase their criminal records and obtain a second chance at jobs, housing, and other opportunities sometimes denied felons.
Also, this past February, Gov. Bevin issued an executive order that removes questions about criminal history from the initial application for state jobs in the executive branch. The Fair Chance Employment Initiative means that applicants will not be required to check the box for criminal convictions on the initial state application, a policy in line with twenty-four states and more than 150 cities and counties across the nation.
Individuals who are interested in applying for restoration of their civil rights may do so by obtaining a form at any Probation and Parole office, or by contacting the Department of Corrections at 502-782-2248 or online at corrections.ky.gov, and returning the form to the address listed.
Louisville has been chosen to host the 27th annual Congress for the New Urbanism, an international placemaking conference, in the spring of 2019. Recent Congress host cities include Seattle, Detroit, Dallas and Buffalo. The event will bring over 1,500 attendees–including urban planners, architects and landscape architects, environmental consultants, engineers and real estate developers–to Louisville from across the country and the world.
CNU’s annual Congress is the premiere international event on planning, designing, and building walkable communities, mixed-use development, and sustainable, equitable cities.
“The arrival of the Congress for New Urbanism could not come at a better time for Louisville,” Mayor Greg Fischer said. “Many of the country’s most innovative and creative urban experts will be in our city and they can witness the renaissance happening across our neighborhoods while contributing their talents to areas of our city needing more attention.”
Each year, CNU members work with the host city to organize and to execute two to four Congress Legacy Projects which identify crucial roadblocks, engage local residents in visioning, and generate top-of-the-line design and placemaking strategies. Through multi-day workshops, CNU members engage with city officials, business owners, developers, neighborhood leaders, and members of the public to form a plan to enhance a corridor, section of a neighborhood, or other land use challenges chosen by the city’s host committee.
“Hosting CNU 27 is both an honor and a remarkable opportunity for Louisville,” Host Committee Chair David Tomes said. “Our city will have the chance to showcase New Urbanist neighborhoods like Norton Commons and Liberty Green, as well as dynamic redevelopment initiatives like Russell, Portland, NuLu, and SoBro, while also focusing worldwide attention on iconic places such as the Cherokee Triangle and Old Louisville. Most important, the visiting leaders of CNU will offer practical proposals to improve the livability of this city we love.”
Louisville’s host committee includes over 100 public officials, community leaders, academics, and representatives from the planning and urban design industries.
For more information on the Congress for the New Urbanism, please visit https://www.cnu.org/
Attorney General Beshear said a possible ring of door-to-door scammers have recently targeted the Louisville-area, with one household losing more than $70,000 over the past year.
The current scam involves someone coming door-to-door claiming to offer services related to home improvement, or simply requesting financial aid for their “business.” Once the victim makes a payment, the con artist makes-off with the money.
Then, a second con artist, likely connected to the first, comes along pretending to be an Adult Protective Services employee and claims they provide “scam recovery services” for a fee. However, legitimate Adult Protective Services employees do not charge for their services. The victim is scammed for a second time when they pay the phony Adult Protective Services employee, and receives what appears to be a legitimate receipt, to recover their lost funds.
Beshear issued a Scam Alert to make other Jefferson County residents aware of the latest threat, and to help remind all Kentuckians that home repair and door-to-door sales scams often increase during the warmer months.
“The only ‘deal’ these door-to-door imposters are offering is a scam,” said Beshear. “Our office has been made aware of a potential ring of con artists targeting the Louisville-area and we want to alert Kentuckians to help others avoid falling victim.”
Beshear said not all door-to-door salespersons are scammers and many are honest trying to make a living. Nevertheless, before you commit to a door-to-door sales pitch take time to follow these tips to help avoid a scam:
- Verify and check online reviews
Verify that the contractor or business is registered to do business in Kentucky on the Secretary of State’s website, also check business licensing requirements with your city or county government. Verify online reviews through the Better Business Bureau, and ask for ID and contact previous customer references. - Avoid upfront payment
If a contractor asks for upfront payment for a small home improvement job this should trigger a red flag. Often times, very large projects require some type of upfront payment, but only after the contractor is properly screened and a guarantee contract is signed.
One of Beshear’s top priorities is to protect Kentuckians, especially senior citizens from scams, abuse and exploitation.
As part of his commitment to protect Kentucky families from the emotional and financial devastation con artists cause, Beshear launched Scam Alerts in 2016 to provide Kentuckians with direct guidance on how to avoid falling victim to the latest scam. To sign up for Scam Alerts text the words KYOAG Scam to GOV311 (468311), or enroll online at ag.ky.gov/scams and select text message or email alert.
Beshear is also working with the faith-based community to help better protect local congregations and the communities they serve from scams. Beshear’s Office of Senior Protection will be at the Eastern Area Community Ministries in Louisville April 6 at 7 p.m. To learn more about this initiative visit, ag.ky.gov.
To report a scam contact the Attorney General’s Office at 888-432-9257 and file a complaint online.
Ford has issued two recalls affecting over 440,000 vehicles in North America, including ones made here in Louisville, due to problems that might cause engine fires and unexpected door opening.
One recall affects 230,756 Escape SUVs, subcompact Fiesta ST cars, mid-size Fusion cars, and Transit Connect vans with 1.6-Liter turbocharged engines manufactured from 2013 through 2015. Ford Motor Company says the engines can overheat enough that the cylinder head can crack, causing oil to leak, which can catch fire.
Ford has had 29 reports of such fires, but nobody has been injured due to the defect so far. The release says that owners of these vehicles may keep driving them but should go to a dealer if the cars overheat or frequently need coolant.
In a second round of recalls, Ford is adding an additional 210,619 vehicles to an existing recall to replace faulty door latches on 2014 Fiesta cars as well as 2013 and 2014 Fusion and Lincoln MKZ cars. These vehicles have door latch component that could potentially break and allow the door to swing open while driving. The company reports that it has not had any reports of crashes or injuries due to the issue.
Together, the recalls will cost the company around $295 million and bring the total number of vehicles affected by recent recalls to 570,000.
A Louisville Metro Police Department officer injured in a crash Tuesday night has died.
Officer Nick Rodman, a 2005 graduate of Holy Cross High School, was injured in a crash at 26th and Duncan around 8 PM last night during a vehicle pursuit.
Rodman, a three year veteran of the department, was rushed to University Hospital following the the crash, where he succumbed to his injuries Wednesday afternoon, leaving behind a wive and two young children.
LMPD Chief Steve Conrad said the incident began Tuesday night with reports of shots fired and an assault. As Rodman joined the pursuit and traveled through an intersection, his cruiser was hit by another vehicle, causing his injuries. Details are unavailable regarding others who may have been involved in the crash.
Metro Council President David Yates called today “an incredibly sad day for all of us in Metro Louisville,” noting that Officer Rodman “was a good and honorable police officer whom served with pride and distinction,” who followed in his father’s footsteps, who also served as an LMPD officer.
A memorial is being held for Officer Rodman Thursday morning at the Jefferson Square Police Memorial.
At least four people, including a suspected attacker and a police officer, have been confirmed dead in an attack near the British parliament that authorities are treating as a terrorist incident.
“Although we remain open minded to the motive, a full counterterrorism investigation is already underway,” Commander BJ Harrington told a news conference Wednesday in London.
A search is underway to confirm there are no additional attackers, though police officials have indicated the attack was carried out by a lone assailant.
Parliament was placed on lockdown after an attacker stabbed a police officer before being shot by other officers on the parliament grounds. The injured officer later died of his injuries. At least two people were killed and eight others injured when a vehicle struck several people on the nearby Westminster bridge.
A senior police officer told VOA that they believe only one assailant was involved in what appears to have been “a three-staged attack.”
It began with an SUV being driven over Westminster Bridge right by the House of Commons. The SUV mounted the sidewalk and struck several pedestrians.
We were called at approx 2:40pm to reports of an incident at #Westminster Bridge. Being treated as a firearms incident – police on scene
— Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) March 22, 2017
Attacker rammed pedestrians
According to police sources, the vehicle struck some other pedestrians at the perimeter fence near the gates at Old Palace Yard.
“The attacker then rushed the gates and struggled with a police guard who tried to stop him. The assailant stabbed him several times,” the senior police officer said. “Other officers shot the attacker.”
Eyewitness accounts
The gunfire was heard at 2:38 p.m. London time inside the House of Commons as lawmakers were debating legislation on pension reform. Eyewitnesses say about half-a-dozen shots were fired.
“It all happened within a minute,” witness Tawhid Tanim told VOA. “I came out of where I work and saw a car had pulled up and I heard I just heard bang bang bang and people running everywhere.” Continue reading
