The head of Kentucky State Police would like to acquire updated equipment for his agency’s crime laboratory.
KSP Commissioner Rodney Brewer appeared before the Senate Committee on Veterans, Military Affairs, and Public Protection on Thursday (Feb. 20). Brewer says aging equipment makes it more difficult to quickly turn around evidence for court officials.
“We have actually been approached by one vendor that wants to purchase what we have of our older equipment to cannibalize for parts literally for some third world countries that are still utilizing those pieces of equipment. Now, do they work, absolutely they work. Are they very slow and antiquated and very labor intensive, that becomes the problem,” said Brewer.
Administrators at the agency would like to have approximately 230 million dollars in support of the blue and gray.
Governor Beshear’s recommended budget provides 204 million for the police agency. Committee Chair Jimmy Higdon says lawmakers will try their best to make up the difference.
“That’s very high on our priority list, but as we go through this budget process, we’ll try to do everything we can to make sure that they’re funded,” said Higdon.
Higdon says he’s a bit concerned about the amount of overtime hours being put in by young troopers.
