Kentucky receives $1.5M grant to investigate sexual assaults

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Kentucky has received a $1.5 million federal grant to form the Kentucky State Police Sexual Assault Kit initiative Investigative Team, Gov. Andy Beshear announced Wednesday.

With the grant, three trained investigators and a criminal intelligence analyst will move from the Kentucky office for attorney general to KSP to investigate sexual offenders.

“This new funding allows us to continue this important work by ensuring investigators are able to analyze cases and ultimately help identify more offenders and link serial predators," Beshear said in a news release.

While serving as attorney general, Beshear made it a top priority to end the rape kit backlog.

"The sole mission will be to investigate sex crimes with a focus on cold cases where the testing of older rape kits or new DNA gives the possibility for justice where hope has most likely been lost," Beshear said.

KSP Commissioner Phillip Burnett Jr. said the state has made "outstanding progress" in testing backlogged Sexual Assault Forensic Exam (SAFE) kits.