Kentucky law enforcement officers will undergo more scrutiny during their certification processes. Governor Andy Beshear signed House Bill 206 Thursday.
This gives more authority to the Kentucky Law Enforcement Council to decertify police officers found guilty of certain sex crimes. Democratic Representative Rachel Roberts sponsored the bill. She said this bill protects everyone.
“This is an extension of bills that we passed last year, Senate Bill 80 and Senate Bill 52. It does add this extra layer of protection for crime victims and also for the police force ensuring that we are attracting and recruiting and retaining only best to wear the badge in our state.”
Ryan Straw is the vice president of the Kentucky Fraternal Order of Police. He said this kind of law is needed.
“These are the kind of bills that, in the time, climate we’re in, we need to be working on. The FOP needs to be involved in. I joined Representative Roberts and everybody that has echoed bipartisan, multiple groups working together. That’s what we should be doing on these bills and I’m happy to be a small part of it.”
Representative Rachel Roberts also praised bipartisan effort to pass the bill in the session. It was supported by various law enforcement groups across Kentucky, including the Fraternal Order of Police and the Kentucky State Police.
