public safety

Beshear declares state of emergency to help combat Eastern Kentucky wildfires

BY: - November 9, 2023

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear declared a state of emergency Thursday in an effort to provide more resources for combating wildfires across the state, particularly in Eastern Kentucky.  A Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet release Thursday afternoon said that state Division of Forestry officials are responding to dozens of wildfires across the state and are working […]

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Politicians love to cite crime data. It’s often wrong.

BY: - November 1, 2023

When Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis announced his presidential campaign in May, he proudly told the nation that Florida’s crime rate in 2021 had reached a 50-year low. But really, DeSantis couldn’t say for sure. That’s because fewer than 1 in 10 law enforcement agencies in his state had reported their crime statistics to the […]

Cell phone alert Wednesday is just a test 

BY: - October 3, 2023

Expect a national emergency alert on your cell phones Wednesday afternoon, but don’t worry – it’s just a test.  The  Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will test the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) to make sure widespread alerts are functional and effective ways to inform […]

Louisville GOP lawmakers working on sweeping anti-crime bill ahead of legislative session

BY: - September 26, 2023

LOUISVILLE — Republican state representatives from Louisville plan to file an 18-point omnibus bill in the next legislative session that aims to tackle an “epidemic of crime in our commonwealth,” said the bill’s lead sponsor, Rep. Jared Bauman.  The bill, which focuses mostly on issues within Louisville and Jefferson County, is backed by seven Republicans […]

Hopkinsville police to undergo diversity training after video stirs controversy

BY: and - August 28, 2023

In the wake of an officer’s controversial social media post that drew both support and outrage from community members and tens of thousands of TikTok users, Hopkinsville Police Chief Jason Newby says he’s coordinating plans for all officers to undergo diversity training. Officer Jerimiah Kline came under fire early this month after posting a TikTok […]

Beshear calls for pay raises for officers, more funding for public safety in new budget plan

BY: - August 9, 2023

Gov. Andy Beshear on Wednesday called for more money for training, body armor and raises for law enforcement in what he says will be the first of several spending plans he’ll announce over the next month. Beshear acknowledged that governors typically reveal budget proposals around the time lawmakers return to Frankfort in January, but said […]

Kentucky’s annual crime report shows drop in serious offenses

BY: - July 19, 2023

Incidents of violent crime decreased across Kentucky in 2022 compared to the previous year, according to an annual state report released Wednesday.  The 2022 Crime in Kentucky Report showed about a 9.2% drop in the number of reported Group A offenses — which include the state’s most serious offenses including arson, homicide, bribery, burglary, and […]