Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting (https://kycir.org/prominence/top-story/)
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The commissioner acknowledged that agency culture, a lack of accountability and staffing shortages had often led to shortcomings when investigating deaths on the job.
Officers conduct required surveys on fewer than two out of every 10 ShotSpotter calls. The calls rarely lead to an arrest. The officers typically clear ShotSpotter scenes within minutes, and they seldom find evidence of a shooting.
The judge ordered the Labor Cabinet to pay more than $16,000 in legal fees and an $800 penalty because it disregarded legal precedent when it redacted the name of an employee who was accused of sexual harassment.
If Louisville closes its juvenile jail, it’s still unclear whether the state would open a new facility or send Louisville youth to other regional detention centers.
Kentucky law says seized money must be used for direct law enforcement purposes. A KyCIR review of $3.7 million in spending records shows agencies take varied interpretations of that law.
Our investigation found that the legislative commission that looked into Rep. Jeff Hoover’s alleged ethics violations knew about the woman’s claims of unwanted touching, but didn’t publicly discuss them or seriously investigate the veracity of the claim.
The proposal would bolster existing reporting requirements related to the seizing of cash and property by law enforcement, and agencies that don’t comply would lose out on money.
House Bill 322 would restore the OSHA Standards Board and require it to meet more frequently.
Cabinet leaders said eliminating the Labor Cabinet would save money, streamline government and improve the functions of Kentucky’s Occupational Safety and Health agency, which has been under federal scrutiny since a critical audit released in August.
The Labor Cabinet has purchased equipment and raised salaries in its embattled worker safety program. The Cabinet hasn’t specified how much the raises would be.