FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) – State officials say every certified law enforcement agency in Kentucky has adopted sexual assault response policies.
A 2016 state law required agencies certified through the Kentucky Law Enforcement Foundation Program Fund to adopt the policies by Jan. 1. The law was passed in response to an audit that found more than 3,000 rape kits statewide had not been tested. A rape kit is a collection of physical evidence taken soon after a sexual assault to help authorities identify suspects with DNA.
The policies lay out guidelines for collecting and transporting the evidence. They also govern how to notify victims when the results become available.
Authorities have tested slightly less than a third of the rape kit backlog. Attorney General Andy Beshear says investigations are underway.