A bill passed the House on Tuesday that could have ramifications for those seeking peace officer certification.
House Bill 206 will prevent those who have certain misdemeanor offenses from getting certification, returning from inactive status, or revoking certification for those who get a misdemeanor while active.
“House Bill 206 will prevent those with a history of sexual assault from becoming peace officers in our Commonwealth,” said the bill’s primary sponsor Rep. Rachel Roberts (D-Newport), on the House floor.
The bill specifically prohibits anyone who has been convicted of severe misdemeanors, including assault of any kind against a minor, from being certified or retaining the certification of a peace officer.
HB 206 is an extension of last year’s Senate Bills 80 and 52, both of which passed the House, Roberts said. SB80 was passed and signed into law as a police reform bill that allows the Kentucky Law Enforcement Council (KLEC) to take action against police officers found guilty of crimes.
“Strengthening Kentucky’s policing depends on the ability for KLEC to uphold the utmost ethical and professional standards for the commonwealth’s law enforcement officers and agencies,” said KLEC Director John Moberly in a press release regarding the passing of SB80. “This bill was sought by current and former law enforcement officers advocating for accountability and positive change for Kentucky’s law enforcement. KLEC strongly believes that this bill is a step toward creating a better Kentucky through criminal justice reform.”
The problem got on Rep. Jennifer Decker’s (R-Waddy), an HB206 co-sponsor, radar when a police officer moved into her county. The officer mentioned to her that Kentucky law doesn’t block the certification of a peace officer who is convicted of a misdemeanor sex crime against children.
“Even if those crimes were originally charged as felonies and dropped down to misdemeanors,” Decker said. “At first, when my constituent started telling me about this, I thought he was wrong. I listened in disbelief … I could not believe the Commonwealth had laws that would allow a convicted sex offender to still hold a job as a peace officer.”
Decker elaborated that she realized she was listening to a good cop talk about how they hated to have a bad cop still in uniform.
Other local sponsors of the bill include Rep. Sal Santoro (R-Union) and C. Ed Massey (R-Hebron). It will now head to the Senate.
