KSP in dire need of more funding

FRANKFORT, Ky. (WTVQ) – Kentucky State Police say they are in dire need of more guns, cars, and even people.

ABC 36 visited KSP Headquarters to find out why.

The job of a state trooper is to serve and protect those living in the Commonwealth, but troopers we spoke with say limited resources are also limiting the ways they can help the community.

We talked to Lieutenant Michael Webb about KSP’s current situation.

He says the rifles they use were made in 1969, to be used for the war. They never got used, and were given to KSP about 10 years ago.

“They are literally DOD hand-me-downs from the vietnam era, said Lt. Webb. “They are not consistent with technology today and in many instances, we show up to situations where we are outgunned by the perpetrators.”

Lt. Webb says they also need new cars, saying many of their current cars have up to 300 thousand miles on them, making them unsafe to be driven at high speeds over long distances.

“There was an incident in Eastern Kentucky a few months ago where a trooper was stabbed and another trooper was responding to back him up and the transmission quit in his car and he literally could not get to that person to back him up. These are real stories,” said Lt. Webb.

That’s a real story that we brought you back in August, out of Bath County. It’s one that proves KSP’s need of better equipment.

Lt. Webb took ABC 36 on a tour of KSP Headquarters. The building is not in great condition but he says there is no money left to renovate.

He says the lack of resources hurts recruitment.

State Representative Robert Benvenuti recognizes the importance of funding state police.

“In order to have good public protection so that you can go to work every day, and I can go to work every day, and children can go to school safely every day, we’ve got to support law enforcement and support it very aggressively, and unfortunately, historically that has not been done,” said Rep. Benvenuti. “It’s time to change that now.”

KSP can’t take donations, but they encourage you to talk to your legislators and ask them to support funding for law enforcement.