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SubscribeKentucky Justice Secretary John Tilley announced this week that every law enforcement agency certified through the Kentucky Law Enforcement Foundation Program Fund has met new requirements on sexual assault policies – a key turning point in addressing the backlog of rape evidence kits.
The policies were mandated under Senate Bill 63 – known as the SAFE Act – which passed in the 2016 General Assembly. It required all agencies that participate in the Kentucky Law Enforcement Foundation Program Fund to adopt a sexual assault response policy by Jan. 1. That includes nearly every law enforcement agency in the state.
Thanks to proactive support from the Department of Criminal Justice Training (DOCJT), every certified agency has met the deadline with time to spare.
“The survivors of sexual assault should never have to endure the uncertainty of another backlog,” Secretary Tilley said. “I’m proud that the Department of Criminal Justice Training and Kentucky’s law enforcement agencies are setting a high new standard on handling evidence kits and helping survivors find justice. DOCJT’s effort to help facilitate these polices has been outstanding.”
The new policies will guide collection and transport of evidence kits. They will also govern the process for notifying victims when test results become available.
Last year, DOCJT was tasked with collecting and reviewing each agency’s policy to assist with meeting the deadline. Instead of waiting for agencies to submit acceptable policies, DOCJT took an active role in helping agencies become compliant under the new law.
“I am exceedingly proud of our staff, who met this responsibility with the professionalism and diligence this important issue deserved,” said DOCJT Commissioner Mark Filburn. “The nearly-impossible feat of assisting every law enforcement agency across the commonwealth with meeting such a tight deadline – and succeeding – is just another example of how committed the DOCJT staff is to our clients.”
A Sexual Assault Response Team Advisory Committee, also established under SB 63, finalized a model policy on Oct. 19. With less than 3 months to meet the deadline, DOCJT worked fast to send the model to every law enforcement agency along with instructions on how to adopt and submit their own approved policies.
The committee’s model policy and two other models were added to the DOCJT website along with details of the new requirements and helpful resources. A dedicated phone line and email address were established for law enforcement executives to ask questions and receive immediate assistance. Staff members made personal presentations to multiple DOCJT classes and meetings of law enforcement executives to assist them further with this process.
Between Oct. 19 and Dec. 31, DOCJT staff collected all the submitted policies, which the department’s legal and executive staff then reviewed and approved.
“SB 63 was passed to improve the criminal justice response to victims of sexual assault,” said Eileen Recktenwald, executive director of the Kentucky Association of Sexual Assault Programs. “Now that law enforcement agencies in Kentucky have policies in place that ensure a trauma-informed approach to the investigation of this crime, it could mean that lifelong consequences for the victim can be decreased and it increases the possibility that more cases are cleared and successfully prosecuted, making Kentucky a safer place to live.”
Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office’s Chief Examiner, Jeff Prewitt, lauded DOCJT’s efforts to assist local agencies with meeting this new requirement.
“Instead of demanding compliance in an autocratic way, DOCJT facilitated compliance in a participatory and collegial way,” Prewitt said. “How refreshing!”
DOCJT Assistant General Counsel Deaidra Douglas said the department serves more than 400 law enforcement agencies across the commonwealth.
“In less than three months, every KLEFPF agency submitted their policy for review and met the deadline,” Douglas said. “From the cooperation we received across the state to the flawless communication with all the involved DOCJT staff, it was an exceptional team effort.”
SB 63 succeeded in the 2016 General Assembly thanks to Sen. Denise Harper Angel and Senate Judiciary Chairman Whitney Westerfield, who both played a crucial role in the final legislation. The legislature also supported a request from Gov. Matt Bevin to allocate $4.5 million toward reducing the backlog. That money will provide much-needed staffing and resources for the Kentucky State Police crime lab.
The next stage in meeting SB63’s new mandates will focus on training requirements for responding to sexual assault. DOCJT’s 2017 training schedule includes a new 40-hour course, which will be taught 19 times this year, both at the DOCJT Richmond campus and regionally across the state.
Pleasure Ridge Park firefighters responded to the structure fire call just after 4:30 PM Sunday in the 13000 block of Ashlawn Drive in southern Jefferson County’s Valley Station neighborhood.
Despite getting the blaze under control within 10 minutes of responding, two men inside the house were already dead. Although officials believe the cause of death to likely be due to smoke inhalation, the official cause is pending from the medical examiner.
Upon arriving, firefighters found heavy flames pouring from the kitchen area of the house. Traffic into and out of the neighborhood was blocked as the flames were extinguished and the scene was contained before being reopened later in the evening.
The two victims of the house fire are believed to have been in their 60s and 80s, respectively.
UPDATE: The names of the victims have been released. The Jefferson County Coroner’s Office confirmed that Tilden Thompson, Jr., age 88, and his son, Michael Thompson, age 59, died from smoke inhalation.
According to a recent report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Kentucky employers reported the lowest incident rate for nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses in the state’s history.
Based on a mathematical calculation that describes the number of recordable incidents per 100 full-time employees, Kentucky’s rate improved from 3.8 in 2014 to 3.7 in 2015 – reflecting the most recent data available. This rate has steadily declined since it was first calculated in 1996, when a rate of 8.4 was reported.
“Improving workplace safety for all 1.9 million workers in the Commonwealth is the Labor Cabinet’s top priority,” Labor Secretary Derrick Ramsey stated. “While setting an all-time low for the number of workplace injuries and illnesses is an important feat, it is also important that we stay steadfast in our mission to make the Commonwealth the safest place to work and do business in the country. We want every Kentuckian to go home safe and sound at the end of a day’s work, and maintaining a culture of workplace safety is an important foundation to accomplish Gov. Bevin’s goal of making Kentucky the engineering and manufacturing hub of excellence in the nation.”
According to the BLS report, approximately 2.9 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses were reported nationally by private industry employers in 2015 – resulting in 48,000 fewer injuries from the prior year. This produced a national injury and illness rate of 3.0.
Five sectors in the Commonwealth saw significant improvements in industry-specific incident rates. Comparing data from 2014 and 2015, Cement and Concrete Product Manufacturing improved by 9.8 points; Sawmill and Wood Preservation improved by 9.2 points; Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing improved by 5.6 points; Wood Product Manufacturing improved by 2.0 points; and, Machine Shops improved by 4.0 points.
The Labor Cabinet’s Division of Occupational Safety & Health Education & Training leads the Cabinet’s proactive efforts to create safe and healthful workplace conditions. This includes providing free consultative services to employers across Kentucky on ways to increase workplace safety – including how to improve injury and illness rates. Services include free on-site consultations to small employers, as well as other compliance assistance, educational materials, and class-style and online training for all employers.
Last year, the Division conducted 334 consultative surveys identifying and ensuring the abatement of 3,154 serious hazards. Also, 129 training courses were conducted, reaching approximately 4,400 attendees in response to training requests from employers.
Employers and employees all across Kentucky and the nation have access to cost-free safety and health eLearning programs on the Labor Cabinet’s eTrain website. Since the launch of this program, 100,000 participants have utilized this service. This free initiative saves employers money and reduces workplace injuries. Consultants from state agencies or universities work with small and medium-sized businesses to identify workplace hazards, provide advice on compliance with OSHA standards, and help employers establish injury and illness prevention programs.
In addition to these training and education programs, the Division of Compliance is responsible for the enforcement of safety and health standards. Compliance officers inspect workplaces for hazardous conditions and issue citations where violations of standards are found. Inspections may be the result of regular scheduling, imminent danger reports, fatalities, and worker complaints or referrals. Overall, both the education and enforcement responsibilities of the Cabinet comprise a comprehensive goal to “Plan, Prevent and Protect” Kentucky’s workforce.
Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes this week met with Chinese Embassy officials to continue to cultivate the economic and cultural relationship between Kentucky and the People’s Republic of China. Grimes is Kentucky’s chief business official.
“As Secretary of State, I look for every opportunity to help grow Kentucky’s economy and further develop connections for our state and its businesses,” Grimes said. “Kentucky’s trading relationship with China is strong and continues to grow because of the many factors that make our state a great place to do business. I am hopeful that with continued dialogue we will see even more investment in the commonwealth.”
China is the commonwealth’s 4th largest export partner with more than $1.9 billion of Kentucky exports in 2015, a growth of more than 16 percent year over year.
Grimes traveled to China in 2015 to provide information about Kentucky, its business climate and economic development opportunities in the state as part of a delegation coordinated and funded by the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries.
During the week-long trip, Grimes spent time in several cities and met with various government and business officials. Numerous Kentucky companies, including Lexmark, KFC/Yum! Brands, Brown Forman, and Ashland Oil, have offices in China.
Grimes has also made visits to Birtley Industrial Equipment Corporation’s headquarters in Lexington and offices in China. Birtley, a manufacturer of advanced coal preparation products, was the first Chinese manufacturer to locate in Kentucky, investing approximately $10 million and creating as many as 50 new full-time jobs.
“Encouraging businesses to make Kentucky their home is vital to growing jobs and opportunity in our commonwealth,” said Grimes. “There are also many opportunities for Kentucky businesses to do business abroad, further growing Kentucky’s economy, and I am committed to helping build relationships with other countries to provide the foundation for those investments.”
Gov. Matt Bevin today announced 10 appointments to the University of Louisville Board of Trustees’ 13-member board. The additional three members include student, faculty and staff representatives.
The Board is responsible for providing governance and oversight for the University’s administration and is accountable for the health, reputation and integrity of the University community in all aspects.
The following is a list of the appointments made:
- J. David Grissom, of Louisville, shall serve for a term expiring Jan. 13, 2023.
- John H. Schnatter, of Louisville, shall serve for a term expiring Jan. 13, 2022.
- Sandra Frazier, of Louisville, shall serve for a term expiring Jan. 13, 2021.
- Nitin Sahney, of Prospect, shall serve for a term expiring Jan. 13, 2021.
- Bonita K. Black, of Crestwood, shall serve for a term expiring Jan. 13, 2020.
- Brian A. Cromer, of Louisville, shall serve for a term expiring Jan. 13, 2020.
- Ulysses Lee Bridgeman, Jr., of Louisville, shall serve for a term expiring Jan. 13, 2019.
- Ronald L. Wright, MD, of Prospect, shall serve for a term expiring Jan. 13, 2019.
- James M. Rogers, of Prospect, shall serve for a term expiring Jan. 13, 2018.
- Diane B. Medley, of Ekron, shall serve for a term expiring Jan. 13, 2018.
Click here to view a video message from Gov. Bevin on the University of Louisville Board of Trustees appointments.
Gov. Bevin made these appointments pursuant to Sections 69 and 81 of the Kentucky Constitution, and KRS 164.821, as amended by SB12 during the 2017 Regular Session.
Download the executive order.
Attorney General Andy Beshear joined the Truckers Against Trafficking (TAT), the Kentucky Baptist Convention, the Kentucky Hotel and Travel Industry, Free 2 Hope, the Kentucky Trucking Association, WDRB and Catholic Charities of Louisville to raise awareness about one of the nation’s fastest growing criminal enterprises – human trafficking.
The 11th of each January is National Human Trafficking Awareness Day. January is National Human Trafficking Awareness Month.
Over the last year, Beshear has established the Kentucky Attorney General’s office as the leading agency fighting human trafficking, a modern-day form of slavery in which adults and children are forced into sex or labor services.
“Human trafficking represents the worst form of abuse, often to children, and it is increasing in Kentucky,” Beshear said. “That’s why my office is partnering with the public and private sector to enhance and improve policy measures and training opportunities to increase resources and awareness to help end human trafficking.”
Beshear’s office receives direct complaint information on possible human trafficking from the Cabinet for Health and Family Services and the National Human Trafficking Hotline.
In just the last quarter of 2016, Beshear’s office provided assistance on 14 possible incidences of human trafficking and acted as the sole investigative agency on five cases.
For 2016 as a whole, the AG’s Department of Criminal Investigations provided technical assistance to local law enforcement agencies on 32 possible human trafficking cases, resulting in the identification of two minors who were being trafficked for sex.
The office was selected by the United States Department of Justice as the first Kentucky government agency to receive a federal human trafficking grant, and has forged partnerships with the trucking and hospitality industries, and the Baptist Convention.
“As the largest denomination in the Commonwealth, the Kentucky Baptist Convention feels a special burden to stand with the attorney general to prevent human trafficking and rescue those individuals whose lives are systematically and cruelly devastated,” said Hershael W. York, chairman of the Kentucky Baptist Convention Public Affairs Committee and pastor at Buck Run Baptist Church of Frankfort. “The resulting devaluation of human life and the loss of human dignity is an attack on all of us. Victims of human trafficking are surely emblematic of Jesus’ concern for ‘the least of these’ and so we must accept the mandate of protection, deliverance and justice.”
“Professional drivers have proven time and again that they are the eyes and ears of our nation’s roadways,” said Truckers Against Trafficking Executive Director Kendis Paris. “They are in places and see things that most of us do not. If we can train every CDL holder in America to recognize and report human trafficking as they’re seeing it, many more victims will be recovered out of a life of forced prostitution. Truckers Against Trafficking is extremely grateful to be partnering with the Kentucky Attorney General’s office and the Kentucky Trucking Association to reach this critical goal, and we applaud both groups for being leaders on this issue.”
“The Kentucky Trucking Association, our members and the trucking community in this state and around the country pledge our support to Truckers Against Trafficking and its mission,” Guy Young, president and CEO of the Kentucky Trucking Association. “Our thanks to Attorney General Beshear for his leadership on this important issue. We are hopeful that the public-private partnerships formed in Kentucky to fight human trafficking will continue to make a difference in this human tragedy. Awareness and training for our professional drivers has led to increased reporting of suspected activity, rescue of many victims, and the arrest and prosecution of those responsible. We are glad to extend our help to TAT in any way we can.”
“Kentucky’s tourism industry is fully prepared to help inform and educate our businesses and employees about human trafficking,” said Hank Phillips, president and CEO of the Kentucky Travel Industry Association. “This activity is so despicable, that there can be a temptation to ignore it and pretend it does not exist. We cannot do that and we will not do that.”
“Human trafficking is a crime that is hidden in the seams of Kentucky communities, in rural and urban areas,” said Marissa Castellanos, human trafficking program director for Catholic Charities of Louisville. “Workers are being abused and enslaved in horrific conditions on farms, in restaurants, in domestic work, and other Kentucky businesses. Men, women, and children are being exploited for commercial sex, forced to engage in sex acts, resulting in thousands of dollars in profits for traffickers. Survivors need supportive services in order to regain control of their lives and begin healing. Catholic Charities is committed to helping victims of human trafficking with case management services, basic needs, immigration relief, advocacy, and other services. We hope Kentuckians will continue to raise their awareness of this issue, and look for ways to engage as more conscious consumers and by reporting potential trafficking activities to law enforcement.”
Human trafficking victims are often the most marginalized in society – victims of abuse and violence, runaways, refugees and immigrants, Beshear said.
“They are coerced into submission by their abusers through many immoral means, including forced dependence on drugs, violence, threats and manipulation,” Beshear said. “And the problem is getting worse.”
Human trafficking reports to the Cabinet for Health and Family Services have grown by 50 percent each year, climbing from 51 victims in 2013 to 169 reported cases for 2015.
Beshear said his office is working with state and federal partners to fill these gaps in several different ways.
“We are getting real time case information from state and federal agencies, and reaching out to local law enforcement, prosecutors and social workers,” he said. “We’re offering support for investigations, victims services referrals, legal research, specialized training and prosecution assistance.”
Beshear recognized WDRB Television in Louisville for producing the human trafficking awareness video that will be shown to train the employees of each participating hotel, convention center and others from the tourism industry.
The Kentucky Human Trafficking Task Force will meet on Wednesday to discuss plans to use the federal grant to hire a specially trained human trafficking investigator, enhance the collaborative efforts of the task force to ensure victim-centered response, investigation, prosecution and follow up services in cases of human trafficking. The grant will also allow the task force and AG’s office to better collect data on human trafficking.
To learn more about human trafficking and efforts to fight it, visit Catholic Charities of Louisville Rescue and Restore program website at http://www.rescueandrestoreky.org, or contact the Attorney General’s Office of Child Abuse and Exploitation Prevention at 502-696-5300.The national hotline is 888-373-7888.
The U.S. Senate has confirmed President Obama’s nomination of Chief Justice of Kentucky John D. Minton Jr. to the State Justice Institute’s board of directors. The president nominated Chief Justice Minton in July and the Senate confirmed the nomination Dec. 10. His term on the board is through Sept. 17, 2019.
“I congratulate Kentucky Supreme Court Chief Justice John Minton on his confirmation to serve on the State Justice Institute Board of Directors,” said U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky. “Chief Justice Minton has served with distinction in Kentucky’s judiciary for over two decades, and I can think of no better candidate to help improve the quality of state courts nationwide. As president of the Conference of Chief Justices, he has earned the respect of his colleagues to spearhead innovation and best practices across the country. I believe that Chief Justice Minton will be an asset to SJI and continue to make Kentucky proud.”
Chief Justice Minton said he appreciates the Senate’s confirmation. “I’m eager to begin working with my fellow board members to award grants that benefit state courts,” he said. “SJI grants make it possible for many state court systems to engage in programs they might not otherwise be able to afford. With the SJI’s assistance, state courts have been able to educate judges about domestic abuse, address human trafficking, implement juvenile justice reforms and much more.”
See SJI’s confirmation announcement about Chief Justice Minton.
The Supreme Court of Kentucky hosted the SJI Board of Directors when it met in April 2016 to select grant recipients.
SJI is a federal non-profit corporation that awards grants to improve the quality of justice in state courts and foster innovative, efficient solutions to common issues faced by all courts. Some areas SJI is currently focusing on with grants are language access in state courts, technology, self-represented litigants and juvenile justice. SJI is governed by an 11-member board of directors appointed by the president and confirmed by the U.S. Senate. The SJI board is comprised of six state court judges, one state court administrator and four members of the public (must be two from each major political party).