State Justice Departments Innovating on Multiple Fronts
Over the past three months, we’ve seen a wealth of innovation and new initiatives throughout the Kentucky Justice and Public Safety Cabinet, which law enforcement professionals should be excited about.
Our departments are moving toward the next decade more committed than ever to securing resources for law enforcement while also tackling some of the biggest challenges for our boots on the ground.
The goal is to improve public safety and transform lives, but we also have an eye on the bottom line. Almost all of our recent efforts are designed to either improve efficiency or trim costs, freeing up much-needed funds to reinvest into our criminal justice system, particularly police.
The Kentucky Department of Criminal Justice Training (DOCJT) announced one obvious example of this work in August. DOCJT partnered with Bluegrass Community and Technical College (BCTC) to launch Educating Heroes, a program that will allow basic training recruits to earn an associate’s degree while completing their peace officer certification.
Incredibly, DOCJT and BCTC are offering this opportunity at no charge to the recruits or their agencies. That promises to not only improve recruitment at a tough time for law enforcement but also strengthen retention and help agencies avoid the high cost of constant turnover.
It also demonstrates DOCJT’s unwavering commitment to the welfare and advancement of officers.
Likewise, Kentucky State Police announced a groundbreaking initiative in September that will provide trained advocates at every KSP post to assist victims of crime. The effort, called Victim Advocacy and Support Services, is among the first statewide programs of its kind in the country.
KSP advocates will offer support to victims almost immediately, helping them navigate the labyrinth of information, resources and procedures. However, the advocates provide an added benefit to KSP; their efforts will free up detectives to focus more specifically on solving crimes, improving efficiency in police work. The program is funded through federal grants from the U.S. Department of Justice.
I will also note the cutting-edge work at the Kentucky Department of Corrections (DOC) to lower recidivism among drug offenders with a new program called SOAR (Supporting Others in Active Recovery) at Northpoint Training Center in Mercer County.
SOAR offers aftercare, mentoring, and peer accountability for inmates in recovery from a substance use disorder. Studies show that this type of program improves an inmate’s chances of remaining drug-free after prison, reducing recidivism and problems with addiction on the streets – and addressing one the biggest drains on law enforcement resources.
These few examples say a lot: We are not afraid of new ideas. We want to focus our resources on the most effective strategies to protect public safety. And, we deeply are committed to the welfare and work environment of our law enforcement professionals.
My commitment to all those who wear the badge is that we will continue innovating – and we welcome your input.
